


Obviously In Love (or so she's told)

by Wandsparksfly



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter Next generation - Fandom
Genre: Denial, F/M, Fluff, Harry Potter Next Generation, Harry's kids - Freeform, M/M, nextgen, oh come on they're totally in love, scrose - Freeform, trash really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-08
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-06-01 02:56:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 38,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6498070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wandsparksfly/pseuds/Wandsparksfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dominique returns to Hogwarts after her year at Beauxbatons, she finds a few things still haven't changed: her cousins still roam the halls, the dorms still don't let guys up into the girl's dorms, the make out spots still hadn't changed, and, more surprisingly, Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy still (supposedly) hate each other. Dominique figures it's about time they profess their love to each other.  And definitely not just because of the betting pools.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oblivious

If you thought about it, it was really  _all_ Dominique's fault.  The trouble had begun when  _she'd_ returned.  She was the  _only_ reason, no matter what  _anyone_ else tried to say.  And it certainly had  _nothing_ to do with a certain Malfoy.  Rose humphed to herself again, glancing at her watch.  

She had ten minutes left of this  _painstakingly_ slow detention.  Professor Patil's detentions were always (she presumed, she didn't have much experience, unlike most of her family) _extremely_ boring. Other teachers at least had _some_ form of creativity: Professor Longbottom forced you to change the soil in all his plants.  Professor Flitwick made you polish all the trophies.  Professor Veena was usually  _amazingly_ creative with his; they ranged from chasing blurghorps round the forbidden forest trying to get their feathers to cleaning out the Defense Against the dark arts cupboard, to untangling the giant squid's tentacles.  There was a loud thud from the back of the classroom, causing Professor Patil to look up from her desk, where she'd been sitting marking papers. 

"Mr Malfoy, I'd suggest that if you aren't looking for  _another_ detention you might want to learn how to sit still."  Professor Patil lectured him, and Rose turned round to see Scorpius scarpering about, hastily trying to pick up the three desks he'd knocked over.  Rose sniggered to herself.   _Finally_ Malfoy's annoying knee bouncing had gotten him into trouble.

"And Miss Weasley I'd suggest you'd perhaps stop  _laughing_ at Mr Malfoy.  If you remember correctly that's part of the reason you're here in the first place."  Professor Patil shot Rose a look, and she silenced immediately, slumping back over her desk.  It was Scorpius' turn to be smug.  After what felt like  _forever,_ the large clock in on the back wall of the class _finally_ struck eleven, and Rose quickly grabbed her bag.

"You're dismissed."  Professor Patil waved a hand carelessly, as Rose and Scorpius both quickly stood up.

"However, Miss Weasley, Mr Malfoy, I'd perhaps  _refrain_ from such activities from now on."  She glanced up at them, scarily raising one eyebrow, before Rose decided to flee out of the classroom.  She was halfway up the corridor, before a girl with long blonde hair and a gleam in her eye stepped out from behind a statue: her  _twat_ of a cousin who was the  _reason_ she had detention in the first place!  Rose scowled at her as she smirked.

" _Bonjour espiègle une_ Rosie."  she smirked again, her eyes twinkling. 

"You know I bloody well don't know how to speak  _French_ you tosser."  Rose glared at her cousin, who draped her arm over her shoulder.  

"How was detention? Was it worth your while?"  Dominique drawled again, and Rose rolled her eyes. 

"I swear to God Dom if this is some  _stupid_ convoluted plan of you and Al's to _try_ and make me and Malfoy friends, it isn't going to work."  

At this, Dominique threw her head back and laughed. 

"How are you even out right now Dom?  Curfew was half an hour ago." Rose grumbled, as they stalked along the now empty corridors. 

"I had zome-eh- _catching up_ to do.  And by catching up I mean-"  Dominique smirked again, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Dom, you're  _half_ French.  You were _raised_ in England. You spent a  _year_ at Beauxbatons, _stop_  copyingyour mother's accent."  Rose rolled her eyes  _again_ , and Dominique giggled. 

"And I get it, you were snogging someone."  Rose added as an afterthought.

"Okay, but do tell me: at what point when I was away did  _Atticus Nott_ become such a BG?"  Dominique asked, and Rose stared at her. 

" _When did Atticus become so hot,_ merlin's saggy balls Rose, do you notice _anything_?"

"Well maybe if you'd said that instead of some stupid French slang, I'd have answered.  And  _yes,_ I  _have_ an answer.  After Christmas last year, he came back and he was a hunk, at least according to Izzy, Maddie and Elise-"

"Aha!"  Dominique exclaimed, flourishing her hand, and waking up some of the sleeping portraits, who glared at them, and began to yell. 

"Sorry."  Rose flashed a smile at them, while dragging Dominique away by the hand, glaring at her. 

" _Why_ did you  **do** that?"  Rose scowled at her cousin.  She'd dedicated a great deal of time making  _friends_ with the portraits around the Ravenclaw common room and the castle, to make them less likely to snitch on her to the teachers,and Dom could've easily ruined that.

"Isn't it obvious?"  Dominique laughed, and Rose sighed.

"Look Dom, I have a herbology  _and_ a potions essay due in tomorrow, so if you're just going to waste  _more_ of my time-"  

Dominique began to laugh, before she flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder, and glanced at her cousin. 

"Rosie, you might want to sit down for this"  Dominique laughed again, as Rose frowned. 

"Dommie!"  Rose stomped her foot. 

"I honestly thought you'd already know."  Dominique smirked in a singsong voice, and Rose glared at her. 

"Rosie-"  Dominique begun, pausing for dramatic effect, as Rose glared at her for calling her by her childhood nickname. 

"You are completely and utterly, and _____obviously_  in love with Scorpius Malfoy."

"Have you gone fucking bloody bonkers?" 


	2. Ignorant

"Beauxbatons made Dominique _mad_." Rose scowled, throwing herself down on the bench between her cousins at the Gryffindor table. Every so often she sat with them rather than her housemates at Ravenclaw. Fred glanced up from his plate, that was piled high with sausages.

"Whatshe'do?" He grunted, shoveling food into his mouth as if a hippogriff was about to attack.

"She's got all these stupid ideas about _love_ and-...she's just being bloody stupid." Rose threw her arms up in the air, hoping no-one noticed her slight blush, and James chortled, before glancing about the hall.

"Fred, don't we have that-" He paused, glancing around again, his brown eyes twinkling mischievously

"-thing to do?" James finished, and Fred grinned, before the two of them got and rushed off.

"That's trouble." Lily stated, her eyes narrowing as she followed the two of them down the hall. 

" _Dominique_ is trouble."  Rose muttered darkly.  Because of her  _idiot_ of a cousin she'd spent the first four periods before lunch _thoroughly_  distracted.   _How_ could Dominique even  _think_ Rose was in love with Malfoy?  What evidence did she have to support it?  DId Malfoy like her?  And  _why_ on  _earth_ would Dom even  _think_ she would be in  _love_ with a boy she wasn't even friends with?

"Hello?   _Earth to Rose?"_ From across the table, Lily was waving a hand over Rose's plate. 

"What?"  Rose snapped, jerking up.  That was  _another_ thing.  She was  _exhausted_.  Dominique had landed her ( _and_ Malfoy in detention.  That  _must_ have been something to do with her stupid theory) and then she'd wasted  _half an hour more_ of Rose's time wandering about the castle.  It was quarter to twelve by the time she'd gotten up to her dorm and with  _both_ the essays she'd had to do and from her roommates quizzing about  _how_ she'd gotten the detention in the  _first place,_ and her _dodging_ of said questions, she'd had a less-than restful night.

"Rose!" Lily exclaimed, and she jerked out of her train of thought once more. 

"What!"  Rose glared fiercely at her younger cousin, who raised an eyebrow.

"Don't make me hex you."  

"Sorry."  Rose mumbled,  _eventually_ beginning to pile food onto her plate. 

"Does you getting detention last night have anything to do with dominique being trouble?"  Lily asked _again_ , and Rose sighed. 

" _Yes._ It's completely _her_  fault.  She landed me and Malfoy in Professor Patil's  _detention_ because of her fucking  _stupid_ theory that I'm-"  Rose stopped herself in her tracks.   _Why_ was she being so thick this morning? She  _definitely_ didn't want the  _rest_ of her family to know about this!

" _Bonjour!_ "  Dominique called out, as she slid into the seat next to Lily, before turning her head slightly, smiling at someone and flipping her hair back.

"Dom." Rose stated, and Dominique smirked at her.

"You're only  _être vénère_ because I burst your little ignorant bubble!"  Dominique teased, and Lily frowned at them both.

"One of you two  _tell me what is going on_!"  Lily commanded, a disgruntled group on her face, looking scarily like her mother.

"Rose is-"

"No I'm not!"

"-totally and completely-"

"Dominique Shut UP!"

"-In love with Scorpius Malfoy."  Dominique finished, looking smug as Rose glared at her. 

"Oh, so she finally admitted it!"  Lily grinned happily, throwing her arms across the table and round Rose's neck, dipping her ginger hair into a bowl of soup, and her gryffindor tie into a plate of waffles. 

"I am NOT in Love with SCORPIUS MALFOY!"  Rose exclaimed exasperatedly, as across the room she caught eyes with him.   _Stupid_ Malfoy.  He smirked over at her, ignoring the conversation around him, his eyes crinkled in the  _most annoying way ever._  It was almost as if they  _folded in_ on themselves.  And when he smirked, they got more crinkled, and basically the  _only_ time he  _didn't_ have the stupid eye crinkles was when he was focusing.

"Yes, you are." Dominique nodded at her, easily shrugging off Rose's out cry.

"I have a free period next.  I'm going to the library."  Rose glared at her cousins, before storming off, people moving out of her way as she went, which was _very_ good for Rose,  as she was  _so_ focused on  _not_ focusing on her so-called 'love' that she wasn't even vaguely focused on where she was going.  In the  _distance_ she thought she  _vaguely_ heard screams, and a few professor hurried past her-maybe the school bell wasn't working?   _And_ people around her were muttering about Fred and James!   _Why_ would people gossip about her cousins right in front of her! Irritated, Rose began to stride away even more quickly.

Seeing her cousin strut away, Lily turned to Dominique.

"This year's  _my_ year on Rose  _finally admitting her feelings_ so they  **need** to get together!" Lily exclaimed, and Dominique laughed. 

"Isn't our cousin and her  _son amour_ getting together not enough Lily?" Dominique raised her eyebrows and Lily blushed, before stuttering,

"-Well,  _yeah_ I mean-"  Dominique interrupted her cousin.

"I'm in  _five_ different betting pools and at least  _half_ of them involve this year, I get the urgency."  Dominique grinned.

"You know, I feel as though it's about time for a family meeting..  _without_ Rose of course." Dominique smirked.

"You know," Lily mused,

"Rose has potions last period.  She'd  _never_ skip out on potions.  But, I have Astronomy, so does Hugo and Lucy has History of Magic, James and Fred  _never_ care about skipping class, Molly has a free period and Roxy and Albus-well, when do ever actually  _go_ to potions?"  Lily wiggled her eyebrows, just as the bell went off to signify the end of lunch. 

"Spread the word.  Room of requirement."  Dominique smirked at Lily, who giggled back, just as Fred and James were trailed past by Professor Longbottom, as he yelled at them to fix whatever they'd done.

Lily waved a hand at her brother and cousin who were grinning happily, and despite Professor Longbottom's best attempt at _serious_ yelling-Lily thought he looked more amused than angry.

Dominique kissed Lily on both cheeks, before trailing off into the crowd. Lily watched her blonde hair get swept away as she grinned to herself smugly. 

By this rate, she'd be two hundred gallons richer by the end of the month.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't speak French (which is probably super obvious) so I used both google translate and this website to try and find French slang www.fluentu.com/french/blog/french-slang-argot/
> 
> Hope you like it!


	3. Unaware

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily skips class to find Al. Rose finds Scorpius annoying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, I had to change some of the years/ages of people to make more sense for the story, so here :) 
> 
> Victoire and Teddy have left school
> 
> 7th year-Molly  
> 6th years-Dominique, Fred, James,  
> 5th years-Rose, Roxy, Albus and Scorpius  
> 4th year-Louis  
> 3rd years- Lily, Hugo, Lucy
> 
> And (my version) of how the Next Generation was sorted:   
> Hufflepuff-Molly  
> Gryffindor-James, Fred, Dominique, Roxy, Lily, Hugo  
> Slytherin-Albus, Scorpius   
> Ravenclaw-Rose, Louis, Lucy

Lily wandered through the halls, quietly plotting to herself.  _Technically_ she was meant to be in Care for Magical Creatures right now, but she'd decided that figuring out just  _how_ she was going to help Rose realise that she was in love was more important than her third year education (And she was  _more_ than happy at  _any_ chance to skip class).

So (after stealing at least four years worth of them from James) she'd used part of a skiving snackbox on the way to class, ensuring  _enough_ teachers had seen her vigorously bleeding and her face swelling up to allow her to wander the halls for at least half an hour with the pretence of being 'just out of the infirmary'.  

She'd learned quickly from her older brother and cousin's mistakes, and her older (mostly female cousin's) ability to get _out_ of trouble, and had, at a young age, managed to perfect the two.  

She'd managed to speak to Fred and James about the meeting during lunch, and they'd promised to mention it to Molly.  Dominique would  _probably_ speak to Louis, though he probably wouldn't care that much.  She'd caught Hugo on his way and he'd said he'd mention it to Lucy.   _Rose_ obviously  _couldn't_ know, Molly was easy enough to get, so the only person she  _really_ had to speak to was Albus.  

As Scorpius'  _and_ Rose's best friend, he really was pivotal to the plan- they all  _thought_ that Scorpius and Rose were in love, but  _really_ only Albus could  _tell_ if they were in love-he spent most of his time around the two of them.  And as much as he liked to deny it, Albus was a complete and total romantic. 

James had given her the map on the way to Headmistress McGonagall's office, so she could see where Albus was.  He was supposed to have a free this period, which meant he was  _meant_ to be studying, but Lily highly doubted that he studied in a secret corridor behind the crying girl on the fifth floor  _with_ Rose's friend Elsie. 

Smirking to herself as she approached, Lily was  _fairly_ certain she was going to see a shirtless Albus and Elsie, or at very least the two of them snogging.   _This_ was the knowledge Lily needed to  _finally_ have some decent blackmail for her brother.  Merlin knew she had enough for everyone else.  She gently stroked the girl's tears, and the old stone passageway swung open, to reveal a very shocked looking Albus and Elsie, but not at  _all_ what Lily had expected. 

There was a tartan blanket laid out on the stone floor, and three candles were floating around the darkness, with the remains of a picnic, that had clearly been abandoned.   _Yes_ Albus and Elsie  _were_ snogging, but it hadn't been the hook up Lily had been expecting.  At the sight of her they'd jumped apart, and Al had hastily shoved one hand in his pocket, the other round his neck as he blushed. 

"Uh, hey Lily, why aren't you in class?"  He asked, as Elsie faced the other way,  _presumably_ hoping that she hadn't seen her.

"Used a snackbox to get out.  Was looking for you."  Lily shrugged. 

"Eh, why?" Albus glanced about shiftily, waving his wand blowing out the candles, so they were left mostly in the dark, the only light coming from Lily's wand.

"Dominique deliberately landed Rose and Scorpius a detention last night, and then decided to blow our 'slow and steady' plan by telling Rosie she was in love with him."

"In love with who?"   
"Malfoy"

"Malfoy!"  Albus laughed, but it sounded more than a bit forced to Lily. Most likely he'd heard all about from Elsie-she always seemed to know  _everything_.

"She would've taken that well... I'd be surprised if she hadn't decided to hate him even more now out of stubbornness." Albus laughed, and Lily smiled to herself mischievously. 

"Well, we're having a family meeting- _minus_ Rose-during sixth today in the room of requirement."

"Cool. That all?"

"Yeah."

"You should get back to class Lil."

"Sure.  Bye Al, Bye Elsie."  Lily smiled sweetly at her brother, before leaving, smirking to herself. 

"Well, shit."

*

Rose scowled.  She, like  _most_ of fifth year, had a free period.   _Unlike_ most of fifth year she'd spent the free period in the  _library_ , like she was supposed to.   _Unfortunately_ for Rose, the  _only_  other fifth year who'd gone to the library was Scorpius Malfoy.   _And_ he'd decided to take a seat right across the desk from her.

Rose looked up from her Defence Against the Dark Arts book. Malfoy was tapping one finger off the edge of the desk.  His annoying eye crinkles were gone, so Rose knew he was concentrating.  It was just the bloody tapping.  And the fact they were alone.  When they were alone Malfoy  _always_ seemed extra annoying.  Elsie had  _promised_ she'd be at this study session, so had Albus. And neither of them had showed.  Maybe Dominique had got to them already?  Suddenly aware she was staring at Scorpius, Rose shuddered, causing Malfoy to spill the bottle of water he'd been about to drink. Rose  _couldn't_ help but laugh; it  _was_ an insanely funny scene; Scorpius' face was splashed with water, that had  _mostly_ spilt over his shirt, causing it to go see through. Rose could see his sculpted body through his now-wet shirt, and suddenly understood what her room-mates meant by 'quidditch muscles'-years of flying and playing chaser had made him fairly well defined.  Not that Rose cared though.  He could have a body like Viktor Krum (she'd found an old poster of him in the loft at the burrow and as sure as Merlin's tits he was a beauty.  Her dad always seemed to scowl at it though.) and she'd still rather date the giant squid than him. She sat there smirking at him, as he shook his hands, trying to get rid of some of the water. 

"Stop fucking smirking Weasley this isn't funny."  He scowled at her, as he began to shake even more, and Rose laughed.

"I'm sorry, have you forgotten you have magic and are giving me your best impression of a wet dog?  Or can't you do the spell?"

Blushing, Scorpius glared at her again, before tapping his forehead with his wand, and drying off.  He sat down, looking pleased with himself, as Rose raised her eyebrows smugly.

"You know Malfoy that spell isn't meant to make you  _steam_."  Rose smirked at him again, and he held out his arms.

"It's just because I'm that hot.  I mean, come on,  _you_ probably spilled that water  _on purpose_ to try and force me to take my shirt off."

"I  _accidentally_ **nudged** the table because you were driving me fucking nuts with your tapping!"

"Mmm, I bet you'd like me to do other things with my fingers..."

"SCORPIUS MALFOY! Don't be so fucking rude."  
"Hey, _you're_ the one who wanted me shirtless, and  _you're_ the one who can't  stop thinking about my fingers." 

"Wow,  **okay** _lovely_ time for us to walk in."  From across the library Albus and Elsie were laughing as they walked over, Rose blushing a furious Weasley red and Scorpius' cheeks flushing a pale pink, which was a stark comparison to his usual pale complexion.

"It's not  _my_ fault your cousin has the hots for me." Scorpius smirked, trying to play it off as Rose gasped, speechless.

"It's not **my** fault that your complete baboon of a friend can't  _drink_ _water_ properly.  Albus are you currently unaware that you made friends with a flobberworm in disguise?"  Rose glared at him.

"You've basically seen my shirtless, do you _really_ think I look like a flobberworm?  And better that than-"

 Albus, who'd sat between the two of them at one side of the table held up his hands.

" **Okay** , okay, ceasefire?  I _desperately_ need help with my muggle studies essay."  Albus had distracted them sufficiently, to get them to  _stop_ arguing, and focus on his homework, a skill he was rather good at.  He glanced over at Elsie, who was on the other side of Rose, and winked.

"So the question you've been given is about muggle past times, and you've _not_ mentioned netflix?"

"Net-a-what?"  Albus furrowed his brow in confusion, before he was interrupted by Scorpius.

"He's mentioned DVDs, that's sufficient."

"Not when he's said that's how they connect to the radio.  And you haven't mentioned about muggle contact, that's-"

"-Not really a past time though is it Rose?"

"Well, it  depends on your definition of a past time, because muggles do use their... fellyphones to pass time."

"No, they use MSPD, Mobile Smart Phone Devices-"

Albus zoned out.  He knew they'd end up correcting (and pretty much writing) his essay for him, so he didn't _really_ need to pay attention.  Besides, it was  _so_ much more fun watching Elsie do  _whatever_ it was she was doing.  The way her nose  crunched up, the gleam in her eye.  Albus continued daydreaming until he heard the bell, and he packed up,  and wandered off to his next class, pushing thoughts of an empty slytherin domarty with Elsie in it to the back of his mind.


	4. Blindness

"What is this?"  

"Shhhh!"  

"Why are the lights out?"

"SH!"

"Why-"

"Lucy, fucking shut up!  This is serious!" Lucy began stumbling around to try and find a seat.

"Lucy get off of me!  Ow!  Get off of me!  I'm sitting here!"

"Sorry Hugo.  I _wouldn't_ have sat on you if the lights were  _bloody well on_." 

"Shut up!"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, before the door swung open again.

"Why the fuck are we sitting in the dark?"  
"Merlin's balls!  It's an  _important meeting_ that requires some level of-"  
"James is just being a drama queen. _Again_."

"Aw fuck off Roxy!  Sorry if i wanted it to  _slightly_ set the scene!"  Another pillar of light flowed into the room, before another voice called out. 

"Why are you all here in the dark?"  

"FOR FUCKS SAKE! James yelled out loudly, before waving his wand, illuminating the room, showing the room and how it had been set up for the first time; Molly, who had arrived first, had created the room with the hufflepuff common room in mind; the large stone walls were a light grey, and there was a splurge of unique couches and squidgy armchairs all enclosed in the  _relatively_ tight space, and all focused around a dull burning fire.  Dominique glanced around her cousins; she could  _see_ all of their eyes burning with curiosity  She moved up to in front of the fire, drawing all of her cousin's eyes towards her.  Well,  _almost_ all of them. She smirked to herself.

"Albus, can you maybe move up the front? And...  _Elsie_ is it? You know, there _are_ plenty of seats, you don't have to sit on Al."  Dominique smirked at him and he flushed slightly, Elsie quickly sliding off his lap, and DOminique was  _pretty sure_ at least  _three_ of Elsie's shirt buttons were undone.

"Yes, it's Elsie.  She's one of Rose's best friends, I figured it wouldn't hurt to see what she was thinking."  Albus shrugged, as they moved forward to the front.

"So what's all this about?"  Louis scowled, slouching down in his armchair.  They'd opted  _not to_ tell Louis what this family meeting was about, knowing fairly well that he wouldn't come if he  _did_ know.

"As you  _all_ know, our dearest cousin Rosie, and one Scorpius Malfoy are  _very, very_ much in love.  We only need  _them_ to figure it out.  And I  _very, very_ much believe that this year is  _their_ year to get together." Dominique smirked at them all.

" _This_ is what this is about?" Louis rolled his eyes, before Fred reached over and ruffled his light blonde hair. 

"Listen kid, I get you're  _not_ a ginger, but you're still a Weasley-"

"-Lily is ginger and isn't a Weasley, James and Al aren't Weasleys, Dom isn't ginger, Vic isn't ginger, Molly isn't ginger, Lucy isn't-" Louis listed, and it was  _one_ of the  _many_ times Dominique was reminded of  _just how much_ of a Ravenclaw Louis was.

"Okay, okay."  Dominique interrupted her brother and cousin, as they glared at each other.  Glares _seemed_ to be how they exchanged love in her family. 

"It seems lovely of you if this is  _truly_ about helping Rosie recognise her love, but if it's about the betting pools-" Molly begun, Dominique suddenly remembered how Molly never missed a beat, and immediately Lucy, Hugo, Fred, James and Roxy jumped up, beginning to yell and complain, causing such a racket that Dominique could _barely_ even  _remember_ her train of thought.  She'd forgotten  _just_ how loud her family could be.

"I just thought it would be nice for Rose and Scorpius to get together  _before_ Molly left school."  Dominique said hastily, as they all began to yell and throw things at her.  A cushion hit her square in the face, knocking her back into a chair.

"You Bloody cheat!"

"Woah, woah  **WOAH!** "  Lily yelled, jumping up from her seat and diving to the front.

"I'll hex the balls off the next bloody person to throw something!"  Lily bellowed, and her cousins mellowed for a minute-a hex from _Lily_ was  **not** a threat to  take lightly. 

" _We_ were thinking-"  Lily began, glancing back at Dominique who glanced at her cluelessly,

"That  _along_ with whatever bets we have with our parents-"

"-And the aunts-"

"-and the uncles-"

"-And everyone except uncle Ron-"

"-And-"

"Yes, yes  _all_ of those, could stay steady,  _but_ the bets we placed amongst ourselves could change."  Lily beamed at them, and she could see her different cousins calculating the odds on their faces.

"And we could place more specific bets about the more specifics, rather than random 'this is when they'll get together' years."  Dominique added helpfully from behind Lily.

"I can enchant the board so if we do anything to particularly influence it you'll lose your possible winnings, and it can automatically update with the bets and the odds!"  Molly piped up, before Hugo rolled his eyes. 

"Slight problem idiots.   _Rose_ is one of the  **most** pig-headed people I've ever known.  There's no  _way_ she'll allow us to get involved!"

" _Very clever hughey_ , that's why we're not  _telling her_ you twat."  Roxy rolled her eyes, going back to throwing her quaffle back up and down in the air.

"So Rose can't know, but surely neither can Scorpius?"  Lily added, staring at Albus.

"Scorpius won't be a problem.  He's been aware of his feelings for her for  _at least_ a year, despite her blindness."

"Then it's settled."  Hugo grinned round them.

"Operation SURAS is a go." Hugo grinned round the group, as Lucy rolled her eyes.

"That's operation Set Up Rose And Scorpius, otherwise known as  _the plan_ to those of us who  _aren't_ obsessed with anagrams."  

"So, how we going to do it?"

"Well, who doesn't want to see Scorpius shirtless?  We could get everyone around Rose to play up how hot he is"

"And Rose  _obviously knows_ after going swimming with all of us and Malfoy last summer, so it'll just force her to _think_ about it a lot."

"Well, when we walked into the library last period we heard Rose and Scorpius talking about-"

"-As her brother, do I really want to hear this?"

"-him being shirtless and what she'd supposedly like him to do with his fingers-"

"-I  _really_ did  _not_ need to know that."  Hugo shuddered, as Fred and James stood up.

"As delightful as it's been talking about our  _sixteen year old little cousin's love life,_ me and Fred have other things to do, mischief to cause, girls to chase and Quidditch to practise.  Al, Hugo, Louis, ya coming?"  All the boys trouped out after James, leaving just the girls sitting together. Elsie awkwardly moved forward.

"Let's get down to business."  Molly stated very seriously, pulling out a small sheet of parchment to take notes.  It was times like this that they were reminded  _why_ she'd been chosen for head-girl.

"So, Scorpius and Rose are both prefects, So I'll assign them duties together for the next...  _ever._ "  Molly smiled smugly, and Dominique laughed. 

"Rose will  _not_ like that."

"I'll try and bring him up more in our conversations, and try and focus on those quidditch muscles."  
"We'll ensure that Malfoy is a  _constant_ source of conversation." Lily and Lucy swore seriously.

" _Come on_. Stop with the PG.  What is the best way forward to ensure that Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy are fucking by the end of the month?" 

The girls smiled at each other deviously. 

 _Plotting_ was a little-known Weasley speciality.

 


	5. unperceptive

"Hey."  Roxy swung down into the seat next to Rose in the library. 

"Hey."  She replied curtly. 

" ** _So_** _where_ were you and Albus during potions?"  Rose glared at Roxy, who shifted her eyes guiltily. 

"I hadn't finished the homework, so i  _basically_ couldn't go!  I just... ended up practising for Quidditch.  I don't know about Albus."  Roxy smiled at her cousin, who scowled again. 

"So  _that_ wasn't some part of a bigger plan to get me and Malfoy together?"  Rose eyed her suspiciously.

" _No!_ Why  **would** it be?  And if you  _don't_ like Scorpius, then why do you always bring up the two of you dating?"  Roxy smirked at her cousin, who stuttered slightly, and blushed.

"I-I'm-i-I don't!"  She cried out, and Roxy laughed to herself. 

"And  **how** is me skipping a class forcing you two to date?" 

" _Because_ Rox!   _You're_ **my** potions partner, and  _Albus_ is Malfoy's!  Because you were  _both_ off we had to work together!   _And_ we're making pellucidum Potion!  That takes  _two months_ to brew!  We're going to have to work together for  _two months_!" Rose screeched, as Madam Prince, the librarian shot them a glare, and Roxy smiled at her gently. 

"Maybe we should leave the library."  Roxy muttered, as Rose began to shove her stuff into her bag.

"I have a prefect meeting anyway.  Molly says there are some changes to the timetable."  Rose muttered, as they began to wander out of the library. 

"So, I was thinking tonight that maybe I could sleepover?"  
"What? No!" 

"Aw come on Rose!"

"We're in different houses!"

"Look okay, either I sleep with you or in the common room.  Ellie requested that we all leave so her and Noah can have the room to themselves.  Sorry if I  _don't_ want to hang about to see my roommate and her boyfriend have sex?"

"Wait Ellie and Noah are  _that_ serious?"

"See Rose,  _these_ are the kind of things you miss out on when you actually use your free periods to study in!" Roxy exclaimed, laughing at her cousin.

 "I'll come over at eight." Roxy grinned, as Rose rolled her eyes at her cousin, before heading into a charms classroom... and promptly heading back out. A moment later, her cousin Molly came rushing out, hastily doing up her shirt buttons. 

"No, no,  _please_ do not let me stop you and your boyfriend from  _enjoying_ yourself."  Rose rolled her eyes. 

"He's  **not** my boyfriend."  Molly argued weakly, as Rose raised her eyebrows.

"What, you just let any guy up your skirt?"  

Molly blushed, as her  _friend_ wandered out of the classroom. 

"Molls, I'll.. we'll speak later." He gently murmured into the back of Molly's head, before wandering off down the hall. 

"Okay so your ' _not boyfriend'_ says goodbye to you by pinching your arse?"

"Rosie!  Shush!"  Molly rolled her eyes, dragging her into the charms classroom.

"He's just-you know... he's just one of those _boys._ "

"What boys?"

"You know... those boys!"

"What?"

"Come on Rose! _Everyone_ has one!"

"Molly!  _Tell me right now_ **what** the bloody hell you're talking about!"  Rose cried, throwing her arms up in the air.  Molly smirked to herself.   _What a little Ravenclaw._ Molly blinked at her.

"You know!  One of those boys who you  _swear_ you don't even like but can't stop thinking about naked."  Molly blushed slightly, whispering the last few lines. 

"Molls that is so not true!" 

"Oh no,  _come on_ Rose!  I began tutoring Scott because I was  _told to._ I didn't even like him!  And now, well, I imagine you can guess.  You can trust me Rosie!"

Rose just shook her head. 

"Come on Rose, it's me! What boys do you hang around with?  There  _must_ be someone!  Unless of course you play for the other team, which is perfectly cool to  and in that case there  _will_ be a girl!" Molly smiled at her softly. 

"Well, I hang around with Albus, and Malfoy, and Will, and-"

"Will  _totally_ has a crush on you, and if you were interested you would've fed into that."

"Will does not like me!"

"How can someone as smart as you be so unperceptive?"

"What about Scorpius?  He's pretty hot, if you haven't thought about him naked-you'd be missing out."  Molly winked at her, as other prefects and Jamie, the head boy, came into the classroom, and the meeting began.

 Malfoy sat across the room from her.  Molly was right, Rose guessed. She'd never  _really_ thought of it, how hot he was... she'd noticed it casually yes, but she hadn't outright thought of it.  At least she hadn't until now.   _Why_ was she sitting thinking about Scorpius naked when she  _should've_ been paying attention to the meeting? Feeling herself blush slightly, she re-shifted her focus back towards the meeting.  Wait, they were pairing her with  ** _who?!_**


	6. Distracted

"I'm going to  _kill_ your sister."  Rose glared menacingly  at Lucy, who glanced up from her book.

"Maybe kill your cousin."  Lucy joked, laughing at Rose as she began to storm off up the stairs. 

"Your sister  _is_ my cousin you twat."  

" _Not_ the one I was talking about though."  Lucy cocked her head as Rose furrowed her eyebrows. 

"Which cousin?" Rose asked, not getting an answer as Lucy hurried off to help some first year put out the robes she'd newly set fire to.   Sighing to herself, she began to humph up the stairs, looking forward to throwing herself onto her bed and digging her bottle of vodka out from underneath her bed.  Her  _idiot_ hufflepuff of a cousin had convinced the head boy to change the prefect schedule ('Rosie, it wasn't me! I didn't arrange this!') so she was now paired with _Scorpius Malfoy._   _Ugh_. _And_ she now had to deal with the fact her cousin Molly could lie well.   _ugh._ Rose glared angrily at nothing out the window, before swinging her dorm room door open, to be hit with a wall of feathers, warmth and noise. 

" _WHAT IS THIS???"_ Rose yelled, glancing around, as all the girls giggled, as from the center of the room her  _scantily clad_ (was just a Shirt and lacy underwear  _really_ appropriate for a sleepover?) cousin emerged.

"Rose, you  _said_ we could have a sleepover!"  Roxy smirked at her. 

" _last_ time you 'slept over' you wandered in at three o'clock and passed out!" Rose complained. 

"Rosie shut it and enjoy it." Elsie commanded from the middle of the floor, and Rosie rolled her eyes, throwing herself onto her bed, before sticking her hand underneath her bed, and feeling an empty space where here bottle of vodka usually was. 

"Already got it Rose." someone said from the middle of the floor, as Rose rolled her eyes again, before changing into leggings and a t-shirt and sinking down into the midst of the chaos. 

*

"Okay, but the  _real, most serious question_ is  **who** is the hottest recent graduate?"  Roxy wriggled her eyebrows, as the girls all giggled.

"What counts as recent?" Grace tilted her head, and from the corner, where she'd been pleating Tori's hair. 

"I'd say probably you'd take the number of graduates over the past ten years, find the average, take-" 

"No! God, you guys are such ravenclaws!"  Mia laughed, as Grace jokingly hit her over the head. 

"How do you gryffindors do it then?"  Grace raised an eyebrow, and Roxy smirked. 

"Well, we usually talk about the guys, chose the guys and then get the guys.  Unlike you claws who create formulas to get guys and...don't?"  The girls all burst out laughing. 

"Hey, Roxy, maybe reconsider.  You do know out of all of us who live in this dorm only Rosie doesn't have a date?" Izzy smirked from over in the corner. 

"Hey!"  Rose exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air. 

"Yeah, come on Rose you're letting the side down!"  Maddie joked, as Grace raised her eyebrows. 

"And apart from Ellie, how many of you Gryffindors have dates...?" Elsie raised her eyebrows at all of them.

"Burnnnn"  Sasha laughed from another corner, as Juliette snuggled into Maddie. 

"Oi!  You can't talk smack about any gryffindors Sasha, how many slytherins in your dorm have dates?"  
"I do think Tori dates enough for all of us"  Juliette teased, and the girls laughed, before they descended into a chaotic conversation about Imogen being caught in the Hufflepuff changing rooms with the team seeker. Rose smiled to herself as she looked around the room.  She'd managed to make an amazing collection of friends, even if they sometimes did steal her vodka.  

"Okay, guys, settle down, settle down.  Let's talk about the elephant in the room.  Have you guys  _seen_ how hot Scorpius has got?"  Elsie smirked, as Roxy did too, and the girls all burst into conversation, hysterically giggling. 

Scratch that.  Rose had manage to make a collection of amazing friends.  It just so happened that one of her cousins and Elsie were there too.

"What do you think Rose?"  Izzy asked, grinning, as Rose shrugged.

"Never really thought about it."  She lied, as the girls all laughed. 

"I see you two together in the library all the time!"  Tori pointed out, as Sasha smirked. 

"Are you sure Rose?  Because I saw him take his shirt off in the library the other day for you."

"I didn't see you there Sasha"  Rose sung, her teeth clenched as she blushed heavily. 

"Really Rose, were you so  _distracted_ by gorgeous Mr Malfoy that you stopped noticing your surroundings?"  Sasha winked at her, as all the girls fell silent, looking on at her eagerly. 

 _What_ had she gotten herself into? 

Stealing her bottle of vodka back from the clutches of Roxy, Rose sighed. 

"Yes, okay, maybe I  _did_ see Scorpius shirtless in the library a little bit."

Judging by the amount of squeals and giggles and gushes Rose heard, she  _knew_ no matter  _how much they drank_ ,  _none_ of them would ever let this go.


	7. Starry-eyed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reckon some more Rose denial always is good

"So, like, I said,  _really_ Porter?   _Really?_  You're doing this  _now_?  Because, I mean, he was buttnaked in the prefects bathtub, and the prefect shift was due to end in ten minutes-" 

"-At least I didn't hook up with him!  He just kissed me goodnight.  What about you?  I heard from someone else you guys-"

"-I totally get what you mean!  It's like hello, this is ancient runes,  _not_ D.A.D.A!"

"She's just the worst!  I mean, oh, _'_ could it  _possibly be...'_ then announcing a perfect textbook answer!   _ugh!_ " 

Rose weaved in and out of her different friends conversations, happy enough to just sit and zone in and out.  She'd had enough to drink that she was  _just_ tipsy, so even dancing along to ten-year-old hits like  _wannabe_ or  _can you dance like a hippogriff_ seemed like an  _amazing_ idea, but she wasn't as passed out as Mia, who was gently snoring against a wall, or as horny as Juliette and Maddie (who couldn't keep their hands off each other) , or as tell-all as Sasha got.  At least not yet. She, at the minute, was just restful, peaceful, and content in her own little world.  Seeing Roxy smirk across the room, the mischievous twinkle in her eye, reminded Rose of her  _other_ problem.  Bloody Dominique.  Rose cursed to herself quietly, as she finished her drink. 

"Bloody Dominique."  Rose muttered. 

"Bloody Dom?"  Roxy asked, smirking. Rose hadn't even realised Roxy had moved next to her. Roxy had had almost three times the amount to drink Rose had had, and while Rose was _slightly_ tipsy, Roxy was absolutely fine. 

"Didn't really mean that... Just, thinking out loud."  Rose flashed a grin at Roxy, as she passed Rose a bottle of Buckley's Blackout Brandy, that she quickly took the cap off. 

"So what about Dom...?" Roxy prompted, and Rose laughed.

"I'm not thick Roxanne.  You think just because I've had a _few_ drinks I'll pour my heart out to you?"

"Well, if you're offering..."

"fuck off Roxy.  I am 100% NOT in love with Malfoy!"

"Reallllly?  Because you're the one that gets all fucking starry-eyed when he walks into a room!   _And_ the one who constantly brings him up, as well as bringing up your feelings about him."  

"I am not!"  Rose yelled indignantly.

"I do not like _Malfoy._ And you just brought him up.  I could hear it in your voice that was what you were hinting at.  And I don't get 'starry-eyed', I _do_ zone out, usually because i'm trying to drown out his idiotic presence with some of my sensible thoughts!"  Rose rolled her eyes.

 "Look, Rose,  _all_ I'm saying is that he  _is_ hot.  Like,  _really hot_.  I mean, you missed out over summer when you refused to go near him, because, let me tell you, he does  _not_ like to wear a shirt."  Roxy winked.

"And there are good things under that shirt."  Rose mused quietly, regretting it almost as soon as it came out of her mouth.

"And you don't like him?" Roxy raised an eyebrow.

"I can think someone is hot and not like them." Rose complained, sticking her tongue out at Roxy.

"And I don't even think he's  _that_ hot.  I mean, that thing he does with his nose?  When it crumples?  EUGH!   _And_ he uses jel to mess up his hair, I'm   _certain_ of it.   _And_ he's a complete and utter arse hat." Rose added as an afterthought.

"But you want to see him naked, right?"  Roxy asked, smirking, before, luckily, Rose was saved from her fate due to a rap at the window. 

"What's that?"  The girls all silenced, staring at the window, before it was rapped again.  Someone screamed, loud enough to break apart Juliette and Maddie who stared confusedly, as everyone laughed at Izzy, who'd managed to tip a bottle of BBB over herself. There was yet another noise at the window.  "well  _obviously_ someone is knocking.  Answer it!"  Mia, at some point, had woken from her nap.   _T_

 _"You have a knack for sleeping anything off_. " Rose stared at Mia, who looked as refreshed as before she'd gone to sleep. Rose could _never_ do that.  She woke up, looking worse than an underfed, rabid, battery-reared hippogriff (sadly, Rose had seen a lot of them-it was her mother's newest charity case).

"Thank you."  Mia smiled at her, and Rose frowned to herself.  Mia seemed weirdly  _chill_.  

"Open it then!"  Someone laughed, and Elsie, leaned to open the window, pushing too hard, and almost falling out, luckily being shoved back in by the boy hovering outside-Albus. Rose did well to not  _quite_ notice exactly where his hands had been on her best friend's body.   _Really,_ she didn't need to see two of her best friends touching each other in places that were less than appropriate.

"Alllll!"  Elsie drawled, flinging her arms round him. 

"Elsie.  You been drinking?"  He smirked as he hopped into the window, a pink flush in his cheeks, the slight sway in his stand indicating that he didn't take the  _Don't drink and dive_ campaign to heart. Much like Rose, (and much unlike most of the Hogwarts population) Al tended not to get wasted. He was _far_ too focused on quidditch to waste away mornings with hangovers (and bugging Rose to make him some hangover potion).  

"What do you  _want_ Al?"  Roxy rolled her eyes as she stood up, crossing her arms, as Albus jokingly staggered, covering his eyes. 

"Roxy, I have now seen  _way more of you_ than I'd ever like to!"  Albus threw himself backwards (into Elsie's arms, Rose noted.   _When_ would they  _finally_ get together? Rose pondered. Did she really _want_ them too? Would it make the christmas holiday awkward?)  Roxy just rolled her eyes at Albus' over exaggeration. 

"Oh please.  You've seen me in a lot less than my knickers and a t-shirt.  We used to  _bathe_ together Albus. Or are you forgetting the picture Grandma has on her mantel piece?"  Roxy smirked at her cousin (Was she the  _only_ Weasley-Potter who hadn't inherited that  _stupid smirk_ _?)_ as she strutted across the room, grabbing a pair of  _impressively_ short short shorts. 

"What do you want anyway Al?"  Rose asked, taking a swig from her bottle of BBB.

"Oh, drinking tonight Rosie?  I thought usually such _childish and waster-like activities were below you_? I mean, wouldn't you _much rather be curled up with a good old book_?"  Albus laughed at his cousin, quoting previous remarks she'd made in front of their uncle percy and their Grandmother (and, hey, it'd worked.  All the adults had bought into it and had _happily_ supplied her with alcohol).  Rose, in want of a better comeback, simply threw him the finger. 

"Go suck Merlin's saggy balls Albus."  She grinned at him politely.  Staring at Elsie, he smirked, before replying. 

"Not really my type of thing.  I'm sure-"

"Okay, okay."  Grace interrupted them.

"Can you guys skip this creepy, weirdly half incest-y conversation and get to the reason  _why_ Albus came in the first place?"  Grace raised her eyebrows. 

"I came-"  Albus began, grinning around them, 

"To invite you to a small gathering, out by the lake.  It's bring your own booze, and it's a bloody  _riot right now."_ Albus grinned. 

"Fancy it?"  Roxy stared round the group.

"It's me, and some of the guys.  Lots of different houses.  And some girls.  Puff rockers. Snake bad boys- I mean, if you count me and Scorpius as bad boys.  Dom's there-but at the minute she's the _only Weasley-Potter there,_ and the other quidditch teams-mostly just folk from our year and the year above-"

"Al, shut up."  Roxy ordered, before turning to the girls.  

"Meet ya there when you manage to sneak out.  Elsie, fancy a ride on my broomstick?" Albus grinned at the girl standing next to him, who muttered quietly-though  _not quietly enough_ -that she hoped that was a euphemism, before jumping onto Albus' broom behind him.  Rose decided that she'd be _a lot_ more comfortable with this situation if Elsie's hands were _a lot_ higher up on Albus' body than they were, before the two zoomed away. 

The girls began to gather together the drink, Rose opting just to fill her hipflask and grab her cigarettes, a habit that she'd picked up from  _somewhere_ , a vague mix of rebellion, her older cousins and a secret; besides, she only smoked when she had been drinking, which wasn't really that often.

"Are you sure we should sneak out the castle, breaking several rules, to go underage drinking by the lake with a lot of boys?"  Rose pointed out, raising her eyebrows, causing April to frown with concern,  and Juliette to blush.

"Maybe-" April began, before Grace glared at her.

"Rose, shut up. We're gonna have fun.  And what's life if you don't break a few rules?"  Grace stuck her tongue out, as they crept quietly along the corridor, smiling at the two prefects they met who looked the other way (and planned to come out later)

 

"Ohhh, remember that time Sasha slapped  _six different guys in a row?_ And  _please_ tell me I wasn't the  _only_ one to notice that Albus slapped Elsie's arse on the was through the window.  Bloody perv." Roxy half shouted from the front of the crowd, causing Rose to glare at her. 

"I've already had one detention this week because of a bloody cousin, I  _don't_ want another." 

After  _finally_ making it out of the castle, the girls made their way towards the vague light and noise of the lake side party in the distance, beginning to drink whatever they'd brought with them, leaving their sensible natures, most of their clothes (glancing round, Rose realised they'd all accidentally dressed the same; some type of  _relatively_ tight fitting top, and short short that didn't leave much to the imagination) back in the Ravenclaw dorm room. So, after looking around to see what her friends were doing (or rather  _who,_ for some of them), engaging in a game of truth-or-dare-strip-chicken, wasn't really the worst thing she could do at this party.   _Especially_ if she got to prove Scorpius wrong in the process.  _And_ pretty much  _anything_ was worth it if she got to beat that bloody tosser.

 

(And if she got to see him in only his boxers, that was a bonus too).

 

(Not because she like  _liked_ him or something)

 

(He was fucking Malfoy) 

 

(Who she, Rose Weasley, was a  _natural_ enemy of)

 

 

 

 

(Her desire to know what he was like underneath all those clothes was  _totally_ an implant of Molly's or Roxy's onto her mind.   _Ever_ since they mentioned it, she couldn't stop thinking about it.   _Obviously_ they'd done  _something._ ) 

 

(Because, of course, Rose fucking Weasley  _definitely_  did _**not**_ love-or even  _like_ as a person- Scorpius fucking Malfoy)

 

 

 

(she just wanted to see him naked)

 

 


	8. Unobservant

"Hey Rose." Lily grinned cheerfully at her cousin, as she slid onto the bench across from her. Rose grunted, not even lifting her head off the table.

"What's up?" Lily, unlike the rest of her family, actually looked vaguely concerned.

"Our dearest Rosie got sloshed last night." Al grinned, shoving Lily over as he threw himself down next to her, before beginning to shovel food into his mouth.

"Who got wasted?" Molly swung down into a seat, closely followed by Louis and Lucy (who she'd  _somehow_ managed to drag away from the ravenclaw table).

"Rose, by the looks of things"  Louis remarked, raising his eyebrows as he moved aside one of Hugo's five plates (where that boy put all that food they'd never know) to make room for his elbow on the already crowded table. 

"Looks of things?  Lucky we're here, eh Freddie?  We're the best looks about this place!"  James and Fred cheerfully swaggered up to their table, James winking at the fourth years beside them, who swooned, as the two of them jumped over the benches, James squishing Albus into Lily even more.

"Move up you twats!"  Lily complained loudly, as part of her hair dipped into Hugo's cornflakes (that were now three people away from him).

"Watch it Lily!  that's good food right there!"  Hugo complained, as he reached over the table (and over Molly, much to her annoyance) to retrieve his cereal, knocking orange juice all over the table. 

"For fucks sake Hugo!"  A small chorus rang out, as Molly helpfully waved her wand, clearing up the mess,  and lifting a now slightly crinkled prefect rota out of the mess.

"Roxy!"  Lucy jumped about ten feet in the air, as her cousin snuck up behind her, before quickly jamming her fingers into Lucy's sides.  Lucy fell off the end of the bench, down onto the floor, as Roxy slid into the seat she'd newly vacated. 

"Why are  _you_ so perky Roxy?  Surely you should be more hungover.  Always knew you dilute your drink, you fucking cheat."  Albus went to lean back triumphantly on his chair, forgetting he was on a bench, before falling backwards with his legs sticking straight up into the air.  Helpfully, Lily shoved them further back, as four or five second year pupils tripped over Albus, and Lily moved up, allowing Lucy to get back onto the bench. On the other side of the table, Rose had lifted her head up just long enough to see Albus fall backwards, and let out a rather loud 'hah!'. 

"Serves you right for stealing my hangover potion!"  Rose grinned cheerfully, as Louis handed her a steaming mug of black coffee.  She accepted it, wincing slightly. 

"Wait,  _you_ stole Rose's hangover potion?   _I_ stole Rose's hangover potion! You didn't finish it did you?"  Roxy exclaimed loudly, as Rose glared at her. 

"Well, I guess that explains why Rose is hungover." Lucy added helpfully, as she stole a slice of bacon from Lily's plate, who batted away her hand.

" _Lucy._  The food is  _literally on the table_. It takes  **less** effort to reach out and get it there!"  Lily complained, before Louis, Rose, Albus and Roxy all helped themselves to something on her plate.  Munching on a hash-brown, Roxy continued the conversation. 

"When did you get it Al?"

"Last night at like three, me and Elsie... fell asleep down by the lake."

"You twats."  Rose muttered darkly.

"But I had it  _after_ Albus did, and there was still some left!"  Roxy complained.

Rose  turned to face Lucy. 

"When did you get here?"  Rose frowned at Lucy.

"Honestly Rose, you're so unobservant!"  Lily rolled her eyes, as Rose frowned at her.

"I am not!"  Rose fought back, as the rest of her family moved on in conversation, and Dominique arrived at the table.

" _Bonjour!"_ She called out enthusiastically, flipping some of her long blonde hair over her shoulder, waving at no one in particular.  Rose  _swore_ she could hear most of the boys in the hall sigh. 

" _That'll_ be why there's no potion left."  Lucy pointed at their cousin. 

"Dominique fucking Weasley, did you finish my hangover potion?"  Rose glared at Dominique with such intensity that Lucy was surprised Dom didn't quake in fear. 

"I may have my darling, but it is  _only_ to teach you about, how do you say, responsible drinking?"  Dominique fluttered her eyelashes, with a heavily laden french accent added in. 

"YOU'RE NOT FRENCH!" Dominique threw up her hands as half of her cousins yelled at her,and Lily helpfully contributed by throwing a handful of dry rice krispies at her face. 

"I have some hangover cure, here Rosie."  Molly gently pressed a small vial into Rose's hands, a kind smile on her face.  But Rose  _knew_ the hangover potion wasn't just because her cousin cared for dearest little Rosie.  It was a bribe to keep quiet about her and Scott.  Smiling sweetly back at Molly, Rose grinned and downed the potion.  The only one of them really worth bribing to keep something quiet was Lily.

"So what did you all do last night anyway?"  Hugo questioned,  _finally_ seeming to have finished his five-course breakfast. 

"Sleepover.  Then party out by the lake."  Roxy shrugged.

"Anything interesting happen?"  Molly asked, gracefully lifting grapefruit and orange slices onto her plate, and filling a bowl with branflakes.  She really was one of the most sensible among them.

"Elsie and Alby seemed very touchy-feely"  Roxy noted, and as Albus began to argue back, and Lily plotted quietly to herself, Rose glanced around the room.  All her friends were up and about.  Well, she said  _her_ friends.  They were more of Roxy's various friends, her dorm mates and a couple of classmates.  They weren't really  _her_ friends.  Her friends, pretty much, were Al, Roxy and Elsie.  Rose's eyes wandered along the hall, before they stopped at where Malfoy usually sat.  He was sitting in the same place as usual, and was sitting  _alone_ without Albus.   _Hah._  He looked so dark and broody; what an  _absolute_ drama queen!  Boo hoo, poor him, his only pal was sitting with his family,  _obviously_ sulking into his tea was going to help!  Of course, it didn't help when his jaw sat like that, all tight and muscular.  How did someone even  _get_ a muscular jaw?  Bet the prat did exercises, or some crap.  Rose sniggered to herself, the small movement from all the way across the hall somehow drawing Malfoy's gaze to her.  His dark green eyes met Rose's for a minute, before she looked away, blushing to herself.  What sort of fucking  _weirdo_ stares into people's eyes from across the hall?  

"Rose?" Rose was yanked back into reality by the mention of her name. 

"Whut?"  Rose shook her head quickly, staring at the cousins who were eagerly grinning at her.

"You're  _so_

"what are we talking about?"  She rolled her eyes, trying to play it off, as Dominique coily answered her question. 

"We're talking about you snogging Scorpius Malfoy last night!" 

"WHAT?!"  Rose screeched loudly, before,  _much_ to her surprise, the family turned away from Rose, to face James and Fred in the corner. Rose stared over at Scorpius, who due to her outburst seemed to have spilt a slosh of his tea. He smirked at her.  Had  _she_ actually  _snogged him?_

"What the fuck are you two plotting?"  Roxy glared at her older brother and cousin, that would've made anyone else go crying to circe. 

"nothing."  They both said,  _far_ too quickly. 

"We've talked about Albus and Elsie, and we just mentioned Rose and  _Scorpius_ snogging and neither of you said a word.  Why?"  Lily demanded, threateningly raising her wand at her brother, who laughed. 

"Guess we're just caught up in the moment."  The two of them shrugged, exchanging a smirk (did everyone but Rose use this smirk?  Was it inherited? Did they learn it at some class Rose missed?) 

"They've eaten.  A lot.  More than Hugo." Lucy mused, looking at the piles of chicken bones, crusts, fatty bits of bacon and empty cereal bowls that were scattered about them.  

Automatically, all the cousins  _dived_ towards the plates, trying desperately clawing to grab  _something_ as it began to disappear. 

"FRED! JAMES!"  Dominique yelled angrily, as the two boys laughed, and they all slouched empty handed.

"All we're saying is don't eat lunch."  Fred advised, as the two of them got up, climbing over the table as if it was a step, before Fred messed up Dominique's hair. 

"Or dinner."  James whispered, winking at them all, throwing his apple up into the air as they began to saunter down the long narrow hall, James transforming some first year's goblets to rats for good measure. 

"For fucks sake."  Louis muttered, rolling his eyes, before getting up and storming away.  

Not that  _Rose_ noticed any of this however.  No.  NO.  She was  _far_ too focused on the idea that she  _might have_ (or might not have?) snogged Malfoy.  MALFOY.  

As the rest of her cousins dispersed, Lily, Hugo and Lucy wandering off together, Albus going over to join Malfoy, Molly skipping up to talk to Professor McGonagall, Rose quickly followed Dominique, grabbing her arm. 

"DOM!"  She yelled, and her cousin rolled her eyes, slouching against one of the walls, 

" _Oui?_ "  She smiled flirtily at some boys who passed,  _clearly_ not paying attention, so Rose quickly shoved her backwards into one of the secret passageways, a fake, thinly veiled wall that lead out to a small, dark, dank room.  It wasn't one of her  _favorites,_ but under the circumstances, it worked.

"Dommie!  Did I actually kiss Malfoy? _Merlin I'm never drinking again._ "  Rose moaned, at a half whisper, the obvious worry in her voice, making Dominique feel sorry for her.  Her _original_ plan had been for Rose to think she'd kissed Malfoy, and for them to roll on from there.  But hearing the anguish in Rose's voice made her change her mind. 

"I don't know, I  was busy snogging Atticus.  And keeping an eye on our dear Alby, I really don't think the world is ready for a Potter baby yet."  Dominique shrugged, leaning back against the wall.  Kissing obviously meant _a lot_ to Rose, and if Dominique could go back to a time when she was like that, she would.  So why should she convince Rose that she'd made out with some boy while wasted? It really wouldn't do anyone that much good. Dominique had other ways to win the betting pool.

"Then why did you say it you tosser?"  

And Rose was back.  Dominique rolled her eyes, at her now transformed cousin, so much different to the person she'd been five minutes ago.

"Because I wanted to test Fred and James.  You _know_ they'd jump onto that  _ami-"_

"Dom!  I DON'T SPEAK BLOODY FRENCH!"  Rose threw her arms up in the air, and Dominique laughed.

"Look, later on I was thinking of sneaking out to Hogsmeade, to get some actual _food_ since we can't eat anything for the rest of the day.  Fancy joining me?" 

Mumbling something about the library, Rose angrily strode out of the passage.  She wasn't angry at Dominique, right?  Sighing to herself, Dom left the small space  _just_ after Rose, to find that she'd somehow disappeared.  

But seeing the boy approaching-Jamie?  Nathan?  Michael? - Dominique found her usual soloution to her problems; putting on her most  _flirty_ voice, it took Dominique less than five minutes to have him in that small space, willingly pulling down his trousers.  Or wait, was it Mark?

 

Rose strolled down the corridor, thinking.  Her befriending Scorpius wouldn't be the  _worst_ thing, would it? If Al had seen something in him, and kept him around as a friend then...?  And even James liked him.  It was  _hard work_ to get James to like you.  But, her, kissing _Malfoy?_ UGH.   _Yuck. Absolutely no w-._ Amid her anti-kissing-Malfoy thoughts, she'd managed to walk straight into...

"Scorpius."  Rose muttered breathlessly, dropping to her knees to collect together the books she'd dropped.

"Rose. You know,  we never finished our game last night."  He pointed out, and Rose raised her eyebrows.  He  _was_ always straight to the point, she would give him that.

"I was drunk Malfoy.  I was _clearly_ not thinking straightly."  Rose glared at him. Old habit die hard?  She didn't  _really mind_ Scorpius all too much

"Oh no, you were thinking _straightly_ all right.  It was you who  _insisted_ we play it.  But, if you're too scared you'll  _lose_ Weasley."  Scorpius' mouth did that  _thing_ again, a ghost of a smile that turned straight into a sneer.

"I haven't lost to _you_ in years."  Rose boasted.

"If you're so sure of yourself, prove it.  Eleven oclock tonight.  Truth-or-dare-strip-chicken rematch.  I'll look forward to seeing you naked."   _Somehow_ Scorpius managed to keep a straight face while saying that, before winking at her.

"I have no idea why Albus is friends with someone like _you._ "  Rose hissed at him, and he smirked. Usually her cousins were so over-protective that they'd kill someone if they thought they were  _looking_ at any of the girls the wrong way.  And here was  _Malfoy_ (who she had  _liked as a person_ for about 0.5 seconds) saying things like this to her!

"I have an idea why he's friends with  _you_.   _You're_ his family.  He has no choice."  With that, Rose barged straight past Scorpius, ripping the boy's bag off his shoulder, sending the content everywhere, before, with a quick swish of her wand, she sunk all the books and resources into the stone tiles, so only a faint imprint of them could be seen. 

"Enjoy explaining to mummy and daddy why you need all new books."  She smiled sweetly, as she stormed off down the corridor.  Surprisingly, Malfoy said nothing back.  And Rose was  _definitely_ imagining the look of regret on his face after he's said that thing about Al, right?


	9. Impercipient

Rose stormed along the corridor people moving out of the way of her (and her glare) as she went. She didn't know  _why_ she had such a tight feeling in her chest, or why her stomach felt as though it had twisted itself into a thousand loops-maybe Fred and James  _had_ spiked breakfast?  She didn't even know  _why_ she was surprised.  Malfoy was prick.  A complete fucking dickhead.  She already knew it, so why was she this mad?  Why could she feel her blood pulse through her head and  _why_ did she feel as though she was on fire?   _And she couldn't even fucking complain_ to her friends about it without hearing about how fucking hot he was.   _Like she fucking cared_. He was arsehole.  A complete and utter twat.  A fucking ignorant _douchebag_ of a boy. Storming up to the ravenclaw portrait hole, and answering the riddle in less than a minute (allowing the five or six fifth years, the sixth year and the two seventh years who'd been trying to figure it out for half an hour in too) she began to make her way through the common room, crowds shrinking from her, as she stopped to screech at some third years with Weasley's Wizard Wheeze's products, before snatching them off of them, and throwing them out of a nearby window, not even waiting to see if they'd managed to fall the five floors.  She lunged over the other side of the common room, causing even Lucy (who was  _more_ than used to her cousin's rages) to look up from her book.  Glaring at a huddled group of fourth years in the corner, she vaguely flashed her prefect badge, before snatching the near-full bottle of firewhiskey from the centre of them, and beginning to stomp upstairs.  Lucy  _figured_ Rose was okay enough that she didn't have to go check on her, until she saw the terrified group of second years come running down the stairs.  Sighing to herself, she carefully folded over her book, and moving from the  _comfortable_ spot she'd been sitting in, began to head up the stairs to the dorm rooms.  She was _more_ than used to Rose's (and the rest of her cousin's) rages, Rose having the _worst_ temper out of all of them. She'd managed to inherit her both her mother's  _and_ her father's temperaments-Her fiery hair wasn't the  _only_ fire she'd gotten from the Weasley's.  But, usually, even on the very worst of her days, Rose tended to _avoid_ strangers, not yell at them. On her way up, she saw a rather disheveled Maddie and Juliette come down. Rose had  _obviously_ interrupted them mid-make out session, and (like anyone with half a brain) they'd decided to leave her alone.  Raising her eyebrows at them, on the way past Juliette tapped her shoulder. 

"Good luck."  

Lucy grimaced, before continuing up the stairs to her cousin's dorm, and strolling straight in (they were past the stage of knocking), quickly flicking her wand to deflect the cushion Rose had thrown straight at her face. 

Rose was sitting straight up on her bed, chugging from the bottle of Firewhiskey Famous Firewhiskey, the bottle now almost half empty (Lucy had to admit it was impressive; she was downing it with such ease she easily could've believed it was water).  Making her way across the room, Lucy threw herself down onto the bed next to Rose, and waiting until she'd finished her drink,  and asked quietly. 

"What's wrong?" 

Rose glanced at her, still glaring.

"It's stupid fucking Malfoy being a stupid fucking prick."  She humphed, sloshing the bottle slightly, spilling some over her bed. Lucy grabbed it out of her hands, and took a swig for herself.  The strong liquid burned down Lucy's throat, and she winced slightly, before taking another gulp.  She figured that the more she drank, the less there was for Rose.

"What did he do?" Rose exhaled aggressively (a thing Lucy didn't even  _think_ was possible), grabbing the bottle back out of her hands.

"He's just be a fucking dickhead."  She yelled, before taking another swig, and slumping slightly. 

"he said Al was only friends with me because we were family, and he had no choice."  Rose muttered quietly, toying with the label on the bottle, and suddenly Lucy understood.  She'd never really had a heart to heart with her older cousin about their insecurities (who the fuck had?), but she'd grown to realise that Rosie's self-perceived lack of friends who were not related to her, was one of them.  Malfoy had accidentally found a raw nerve, and, from the sounds of things, he'd decided to poke it. 

"What an absolute fucking prick."  Lucy uttered, stressing each word, as surprisingly Rose whipped round to face her (spilling yet more of the firewhiskey onto her bed) 

"You really think so?"  Rose grinned at her. Lucy took this as a perfect time to snatch away the bottle that was slowly destroying Rose's bed (and Rose). 

"Yeah.  What a prick."  Lucy rolled her eyes. 

"Well thank  **Fuck!** "  Rose cried out, throwing her arms around Lucy's neck briefly. 

"E _very single time_ I've mentioned him recently,  _everyone_ has just gone on and on and on about how hot he is.  I mean, yeah sure he is hot as fuck, but who the fuck cares if under it all he's a complete and utter prick?  Everyone seems to think I'm impercipient!  I'm not!  I'm the only one who's seeing it clearly!"

 Lucy took one last swig of the firewhiskey, before turning the lid onto the bottle, and sliding it under Rose's bed.

"Like he's always such an arsehole!  He's an absolute TWAT!"  Rose cried out, and Lucy tilted her head. 

"You know he isn't always, otherwise Albus wouldn't be friends with him."  Lucy stated, regretting it almost as soon as it was out her mouth.  Rose, in times like this, was often temperamental, and her mood could turn to hating Lucy in a split second. 

"I know." Rose grumbled, before clutching around on her bed.

"Lucy, WHERE THE FUCK is my firewhiskey?"  She asked, furrowing her brows as Lucy rolled her eyes. 

"The  _fourth year's_ firewhiskey.  Besides, Rose Weasley does not day drink."  Lucy raised her eyebrows.  Normally, Rose's weekend routine consisted of her studying for most of the time ('You  _can't_ leave all your homework till  _sunday_!  What if you don't get it finished?   _Beside_ , you have the  _added bonus_ of being able to  _study_ on the Saturday if you finish it!').  They were interrupted by a small knock at the door, before Maddie (who was presumably attracted by the lack of yelling, shouting and smashing) hesitantly stuck her head round the door.

"Safe yet?"  She asked timidly, as Lucy nodded, and her and Juliette came in, going over to sit on Maddie's bed. 

"Yes!"  Rose replied, a little late.

"But no snogging!"  She yelled, waving a finger at the two of them as they sat down. Juliette looked concerned, as Maddie, with a wide-mouth turned to Lucy.

"Is she  _drunk_?" 

"No"  Rose answered loudly, at the same time as Lucy said 'yes'.

"You're sitting awfully close to Maddie, Miss Clearwater."  Rose raised her eyebrows at the two girls, as 'Miss Clearwater' hastily removed her hand from the position it had been sitting on on Maddie's thy.

Lucy rolled her eyes, as Juliette glanced at Maddie awkwardly.  Maddie, having lived with Rose for the best part of five years,  _knew_ what her dorm mate was like when she drank too much too quickly.  Juliette however, did not.

"I think Dom maybe has some de-drunk potion.  I'll go get it.  Keep an eye on her?"  Lucy tilted her head in the direction of her cousin, before skipping off out the door.  They sat in silence for less than a minute, before Rose began to speak.

"Sorry for telling you not to snog.  Didn't mean it in a  _bad_ way. Not asthough I'm homophobic or somethin. You do what you wanna do, whether that's girl on girl, boy on boy, girl on boy, boy on girl on girl... I only didn't want you to snog in front of Lucy.  She's quite a reserved one ya see. She still gets all flustered when she sees random folk snogging in the streets. Snog all you want, I don't care.  But draw the drapes, will ya.  It's not as though I  _want_ you to snog or something, I'm not into girls... or threesomes.  It's all good if you are though.  I-" Rose continued to babble on, swaying slightly from side to side.  

Maddie and Juliette opted not to snog (as Rose had so kindly suggested), but instead listen to Rose talk about her first boyfriend, her most recent snog, about Lucy, about Lily, about how she'd once walked in on Teddy-and-our-Victoire-together-in-a-less-than-compromising-position, and how they'd pretended not to be doing anything they shouldn't have been, about how last summer she'd snogged Lysander in a park, how she'd kissed a girl at a party, and ended up talking about (Maddie had gotten lost about halfway through) her potions class (stopping first to talk about how absolutely 'fuck hot' Professor Veena was).  She'd been talking away for what seemed like an hour, before a flushed, unkept Lucy burst through the door, holding a small vile. Lucy's cheeks had a pink tinge to them, her hair was dishevelled, her shirt was untucked (and now had a button undone).  She walked calmly over to Rose (who'd crowed 'Lucy!' enthusiastically as she'd came in), before unscrewing the top of the small vile, and handing it to Rose.

"Drink this."  She ordered.  Rose looked at it, cautiously sniffed it, and had pulled a face before thrusting it back at Lucy.

"No fucking way."  She stated, wrinkling her nose.  Lucy sighed, as Juliette decided to help.

"It's a shot Rose."  She said. 

"Didn't think you were one to turn them down.  You obviously can't hold your drink."  She'd raised an eyebrow, evoking Rose's competitive streak.  Snatching the vile from Lucy's finger tips, she quickly downed the content, before passing out, falling straight backwards onto her bed.

"Thanks Juliette."  Lucy smiled gratefully, as Maddie and Juliette exchanged a look.

"So, who you been snogging?"  Juliette asked directly, causing the younger girl to blush.

"Eh, No."  She squeaked, before running off out the door. Maddie and Juliette shared another glance, as from the bed, Rose snored. 

*

"Why the fuck are we in the dark  _again?_ James, was this you?"

"For fucks sake Albus, NO!" 

"Okay, okay,  _someone's touchy_." 

"You a complete tosser Albus Severus."

"Fuck off James."

"Fucking make me."

"Both of you fucking stop it."

"Fuck off Roxy!  Where do you get off telling me what to do?"

"For god's sake James she's only  _trying_ to help."

"Yeah James."

"Go suck Merlin's dick."  

"Was that meant to be offensive to gay people or degrading to women James?"

"How the fuck is it either?"

"Aw, leave him alone Dominique, James isn't clever enough to think about that."

"Fuck off Albus, you're the one that failed a class last year."

"That was fucking astronomy, as the entire class fucking failed because of  _your_ _fucking prank!"_

A beam of light hit the room again, as Molly entered. 

"Can no-one find the light switch?"  She asked, as Hugo answered helpfully, 'no'.

"Molly!  Thank Circe you're here!  Get those two twats to stop fighting!"

"Fuck off Roxy."

"You fuck off James."

"Fuck off Albus."

"Fu-"

"The two of you fucking shut up, or I'll hex you both." 

"Sorry Lil."

" _Good_. Can we  _finally_ get started?"  Lucy asked coily, a beam of light coming from her wand illuminating her face.

"Wait,  _you_ wanted a meeting?"  James pulled a face at Lucy, who rolled her eyes.

"Yes." Lucy said indignantly, as Molly gently nudged her sister.

"Go on."

"I think we need to calm down with any and  _all_ attempts to manipulate Rose and Scorpius.  it's just making Rose hate him more."  She glanced around the group, a few of them nodding.

"No it isn't."  James rolled his eyes.

" _yes it is._ "  Lucy raised her eyebrows.

"No it isn't.  You don't really know much about it all anyway, do you?"  James smirked at his cousin, to be hit with a glare from Dominique, a hiss from Molly and a punch from  Roxy.  Lucy hadn't had a boyfriend yet, which for any normal fifteen year old girl would be seen as pretty ordinary.  But, considering her family went through relationships like sugar quills, it was odd, for a Weasley.  It wasn't as though people hadn't  _asked_ Lucy out, it was just that she'd always said no.  It seemed like a slightly sensitive subject for her.

"She's right."  Fred grunted from the corner, as James turned round to face him, his mouth wide open.

" _what?_  You, Fred Weasley, who spent  _three months_ asking a girl out  _every single day until she said yes_ , think we should back off Rose and Scorpius?"  

"Yes."  Fred said simply. 

"At least I agree with it enough to  _not_ want to waste my day standing here talking about it when there are so many other things to do." Fred rolled his eyes, and James sighed. 

"Fine.  We lay off." 

Within ten minutes, they'd come to the decision that  _no one_ , except Molly, Dominique (as long as she kept it to the minimum), Roxy, Lucy, Lily and Albus were allowed to mention Scorpius to Rose. 

"What about me?"  Hugo moaned, crossing his arms defensively. 

"I'm her brother."  He stated. 

" _Exactly little Hughey."_ Roxy rolled her eyes at him as he glared. 

"Hugo.  Would you  _really_ be comfortable having girl talk with Rose?"  Molly raised an eyebrow as he mumbled 'yes'.

" _Really_? You'd be happy telling her how hot Scorpius is?  You'd be good to encourage her to talk about his eyes?  You'd be okay to discuss his muscles?  You'd be happy to tell her how well they go together?  You'd encourage her to think about Scorpius naked?  You'd talk about se-" Dominique listed off, as Hugo covered his ears.

"Okay, okay OKAY!"  He grumbled, frowning at his cousins, who'd all burst out laughing.

"One last thing."  Albus smiled cockily. 

"I was thinking-" He began.

"yeah?"

"That maybe..."

"Yeah?"

"This year over Christmas..."

"Hurry up and fucking get on with it."

"I'd use that plus one invite to the burrow and bring along Scorpius."  Albus finished, as the girls gushed about how 'perfect' it would be. 

"Oi!  Fred!  Time!"  James yelled, as, winking at each other, the two of them hurriedly left together, going off to do whatever it was they were planning.

"Oh, about getting grub from Hogsmeade:  Dom, can me and Scorpius go instead?  He says he needs to buy some stuff or some shit like that."  Dominique nodded happily.

"Okay, so if you all come to the heads dorm at five, that means we can eat and go down to the hall to see whatever mischief the boys planned."  Molly ordered, as Albus gasped.

"Is  _Molly Weasley,_ our perfect little  _head girl_ , really encouraging us to -gasp- _enjoy_ mischief?"  Albus dropped his jaw sarcastically, as Molly gave him a well-deserved tap over the head.

"Shut it.  I have a student to tutor, see you all at five."  Molly waved a hand, flushing slightly as she left the room.

"Roxy, maybe you should go check on Rose...?"  Lucy suggested, and Roxy got up and bounded out happily. 

" _Je vais aller. Au revoir au revoir_."  Dominique sung, before skipping out.

"Well,"  Albus begun.

"Guess that leaves just the three of us."  He smirked happily, as from over in the corner Louis groaned. 

"There's five of us dickhead."  He muttered, and Albus rolled his eyes.  Louis, known as the 'mysterious Weasley', pretty much kept to himself. He had maybe one friend outside the family (not that it bothered him), and rarely talked to anyone else.  If he hadn't been a Weasley, he either would have been forgotten about, or (as often happens in a small rumour-driven, gossip-loving school) been the subject of  _many_ rumours and untruths.  Louis however, a combination of his heritage and his good looks-he'd inherited his father's jawline and his mother's cheekbones, as well as her light blonde hair, and his father's deep eyes-meant he was  _adored_ by most of the girls in the school, as well as some of the guys.  As one girl had put it (and Albus had tragically overheard), Louis was an 'enigma, wrapped up in a wet dream'.  In reality, Louis was much less dramatic; he simply didn't  _always_ feel like contributing, and was much happier to sit and watch everything go by, than actually do anything worth talking about.

"Ah, yep sorry Louis.  Can't  _believe_ I missed you out, your presence is, as always, overwhelming."

"Piss off."  Louis rolled his eyes at his cousin, heading out of the door.

"And then there were four!"  Albus cried out cheerfully. 

"Want to have a game of wizard chess?"  Hugo asked Albus, who nodded enthusiastically as the two of the started to head towards the door, Hugo tripping over what seemed like nothing, and falling head-first onto the wall, managing to hit on the light switch with his face.  Leaving just Lily and Lucy in the now-illuminated room, the two of them headed over to the bed that was sitting in the corner.

"It's lucky that not many people know about this place, or I think the bed would become extremely overused."  Lucy joked as the two of them sat down on it.  Lily had a dangerous twinkle in her eye.

"Speaking of people hooking up, I heard something very interesting this morning!"  Lily informed her, the smirk on her face making Lucy worry.

"I heard that you and  _Fabian Clearwater_ were caught underneath the old astronomy tower stairs,  _snogging and shirtless_!"  She cried out, Lucy burying her face into her hands.  Taking this as an admission of guilt, Lily lightly punched her cousin.

"Why the  _fuck_ didn't you tell you twat!"  She screeched, as Lucy emerged, her face bright red.  Lucy hadn't inherited the trademark Weasley-red hair, but she had however inherited the infamous Weasley blush.

"Because!"  She spluttered.

" _It's Fabian Clearwater!_ " Lucy blushed again, drawing a curtain of her hair round her face. 

"He's-" Lily began, before Lucy interrupted. 

"-in the year above, I know."

"No,  _He's-"_

"-A  _slytherin_.  I was hoping it wouldn't matter because Al's in it too!"

"NO!  He's-"

"-The brother of Rose and Roxy's friend and they're going to  _kill me_?"

"FOR GODRICK'S SAKE LUCY NO!  HE'S-"

"-going to bring a lot more drama and gossip into my life that I don't need?"

"NO! NO! NO! Lucy, you  _fucking twat_ , I was  _going_ to say that he was hot!"  Lily rolled her eyes, as Lucy blushed again, before Lily continued. 

"And it doesn't  _matter_ he's a year older; it's only a year!  And no-one  _cares_ about his house.  And Roxy and Rose being friends with Juliette means they can vouch for the family!  And who  _cares_ about gossip and drama?"  LIly rolled her eyes, turning to fully face her cousin.

"So, how long have you guys been dating?"  Lily asked, and Lucy bit her lip.

"He asked me out today, but it's been sorta while we've been doing a sorta thing."

"What sorta thing..?" Lily waggled an eyebrow suggestively. 

" _No!  Not_ **that** sorta thing! I've just liked him for a while, and he's flirted with me and stuff.  Stop it Lily!"  

"Fine,"  Lily laughed, hugging her friend. 

"Are you going to tell everyone tonight at dinner?"  

Lily watched closely as Lucy nibbled on her lip gently. 

"...That's the thing,  I don't quite want anyone to know yet..." Lucy half grinned worriedly at Lily, who rolled her eyes. 

"Well  _maybe_ you should've thought of that before you went snogging him in public places!"

"Under the old astronomy stairs are  _hardly_ public!"

"It's such an overused hook-up spot you could probably get an STD there by _looking_ at it."

"I did _more_ in there than just look at it!"  Lucy said slightly desperately, as Lily laughed.

" _wait._   **HOW** much more?"  She winked at her cousin, who looked severally affronted, and frankly offended. She whacked Lily over the head.

"Not _that_ much more!"  She cried out, as Lily laughed. 

"According to Jemma you did"  She said in a sing-songy voice.

"WHAT?"  Lucy yelped, as Lily doubled over laughing.

"I'm just kidding Lucy, i'm just kidding."

"Who did mention it to you?"  Lucy eyed her suspiciously.

"Maya...And Steve... And Hilda..."  

Lucy threw her head into her hands.

"And what did you say in reply?"

"That it was good because you'd be awful high-stress lately and if you found a way to de-stress through sexual interactions it was  _obviously_ a good thing?"

Lily smirked, as Lucy groaned.  

"You, Lily, are the worst fucking best friend in the world!"

"Says you who didn't tell me when you snogged a boy!"

"He snogged me actually!"

"Ohhhh, are you going into details? See, if you hadn't corrected me there I would've told people the wrong version!"

"Well, for starters,  _I_ wasn't shirtless.   He was."


	10. Innocent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose wakes up

There was a loud crash, and suddenly, blinking heavily, Rose looked around the room from her position on the floor. Tiredly blinking sleep out of her eye, she groaned, sitting up-when had she gone to sleep?  And  _why_ was her head pounding? Groaning groggily, she cautiously sat up, to see Elsie grin at her from across the room. 

"Hey!  You're awake"  She smiled far too happily for Rose to cope with, when suddenly, she had the sudden urge to throw up.  Clutching the bucket someone had placed on her left, she threw up into it, coughing loudly.

"What the fuck?"  She muttered, as Elsie headed over to her. 

"You're throwing up the alcohol you drank.  De-drunk does that to you. I've got some hangover cure for once you're done."  Elsie gestured at her, as Rose began to heave again. 

"What day is it?  Why did I need Anti-intoxication potion?"  Rose asked, dramatically clutching her chest. 

"Still Saturday you idiot. And you, for some reason, decided to get plastered."  Elsie filled her in, before pausing.

"So why did you get drunk?"  Elsie asked, as Rose was flooded with memories of her and Malfoy's argument, her talks with Lucy and...  _merlin_ ,  _all the things she'd said_ to Maddie and Juliette. Blushing to herself, Rose looked up at Elsie. 

"Because I wanted to."  She stated, rolling her eyes.  After all, no Malfoy was worth getting drunk over.  At this point she wasn't sure  _anyone_ was.  She threw up into the bucket again, Elsie awkwardly patting her back.  After ten minutes without Rose chucking up, Elsie pressed a vile into her hand. 

"Hangover cure."  Rose grimaced, before opening it and chucking the liquid down, pushing down the need to be sick again.

"Thank Elsie."  Rose muttered, as she collapsed onto the edge of the bed. 

"You might want to get a shower."  Elsie pointed out, looking disgustedly at Rose's now sick-sprayed hair, moving away from her.

"Yup."  Rose groaned.

"I'm going down to join everyone else at the lake.  And Roxy told me you've to meet them all at five in the heads dorms." 

With a quick glance at her clock, Rose swore again, before (as animatedly as she could muster) she strode over to the bathroom.  Swinging the door shut behind her, she reached in and turned on the faucet, steam beginning to fill  the air.  She groaned to herself,  _praying_ that the potion would kick in soon, as she heard Elsie  slam the door of the dorm room on the way out.  Rose began to untie her shoes, moaning at the effort that it took, before peeling off her jeans and top, throwing them down the laundry shoot, and climbing into the shower, realising too late that she was still wearing all of her underwear.  Groaning to herself again, she hastily shoved them down the shoot too, before climbing under the hot shower head.  She really  _did_ need to learn how to control her temper, she thought to herself. Most people, she could deal with, it was just whenever it came to Malfoy-he just drove her  _insane_.    _And_ she was going to have to put up with him tomorrow in the library, teasing her every five seconds about how she got upset, and how she only had Albus as a friend. She didn't have the energy to do her  _homework_ , catch up on the work she should've done  _today_ ,  _and_ to argue with Scorpius.  It was far more than she could handle.  She let the shower drain away the thoughts of Scorpius, instead letting gossip and trashy detective novels fill her mind.

After a long, forty-five minute shower, Rose climbed out, wrapping a towel round her body, and her soaking wet hair, before wandering through to her dorm-room.  Her dorm-mates had gone out to the lake, along with most people in her year.  They'd be back in time for dinner.  She gently towel-dried her hair, before grabbing some clothes out of the drawers to her side. Quickly getting dressed, she turned to find a most peculiar package, wrapped up in brown paper string.   Eyeing it cautiously (when Fred, James, her uncle George,  her aunt Ginny and Lily were in the family, any unknown package was to be treated with the utmost fear.  Poking the package with her wand slightly, and muttering a spell Molly had created, she dove off the bed, expecting it to blow up, or turn her into a frog.  When nothing happened, she moved back up next to it on the bed.  Who ever had left it had placed it onto her pillow, and had even adjusted it so the bow was sitting nicely, and they'd even taken time to wrap it neatly.  She pulled the edge of the string slightly, and the package came undone easily.  Pulling the brown paper back slightly, revealed a large box of luxurious Honeyduke chocolates;  _not_ the cheap five-for-one galleon kind you got, or even the kind she'd buy her cousins for their birthday, or Christmas.  These were the kind that her dad refused to even  _walk_ near, incase he accidentally dropped a box, or somehow knocked into him, and he'd have to buy them.  Her dad sometimes seemed to forget that he was now rich. 

Lifting the box out (to check they hadn't been tampered with, a prank Lily especially loved to do), showed Rose that they box was a  _double  layer_.  Not a single layer like she'd thought. Carefully checking the edges for any kind of tampering, she sat the box down on the bed next to her, fingering the thick, smooth parchment below it. She gently unfolded it, recognising the messy scrawl, his scratchy handwriting, that looped in peculiar places.  She'd been reading his essays, and (sadly) working with him in classes for five years now.  Scorpius.  ' _Sorry'_.  Scorpius Malfoy was apologising to her?  He bought her a  _gift_? Scorpius had  _always_ been a wildcard, but she hadn't expected... _This._ Smiling softly to herself, she fingered the note, before she heard her dorm mates running up the stairs, giggling loudly about something.  Shoving her chocolates (and the  _note_ ) into her drawer, Rose sat crosslegged on the bed, and began to braid her hair, before her dorm mates burst through the door, all laughing and giggling.  Grace and Maddie fell onto Grace's bed (which was closest to the door), as Izzy clambered onto Rose's bed, and Elsie slumped down onto the floor. Imogen, who tended not to hang around with them much, hovered awkwardly in the middle of the room, before Izzy called her over to sit on Rose's bed. 

"Anything interesting happen?"  Rose asked, grinning at them.

"Well,  _other_ than you getting pissed in the middle of the day, nothing much."  Elsie grinned, as Rose blushed slightly.

"That's not true.  I didn't get pissed."  Rose defended herself, as Maddie laughed. 

"You  _completely_ did!   _Trust me_."  Maddie raised an eyebrow, and Rose shook her head.

"Did not." 

"Really?  So  _how_ do I know that  _you_ and Lysander snogged in a park last summer?" Rose felt her whole face go red, as the girls all gasped and giggled. 

"Explain!"  Izzy nudged from beside her, as Elsie punched her leg from the floor.

"That's for not telling me."  She stuck out her tongue. Rose rolled her eyes to herself.  She  _really_ needed to get her drunk self under control.  Or better yet, stop drinking.   _Nah_. 

"You said you guys were just friends!"

"Rose!"  One of her friends jerked her out of her train of thought.

"What?"  She frowned, as someone else threw a pillow straight at her face. 

"What's this with you and Lysander  _getting it on_ in a park?" Elsie reminded her, and Rose was pulled back into the moment. 

"Oh.   _That_."  

"In her defense, who could resist  _that_ accent?"

"So true.  Somehow, being Australian makes him  _so_ much hotter."

"And he was already hot begin with."  
"I'd have gone for it too."

"Are we forgetting that he has  _two_ parents as professors in the school?"

"Well what happened?"  
Rose felt a blush creep up on her face. 

"Last summer, me, Albus, Scorpius, Lysander, Silena Longbottom, and Roxy, when she was about, used to hang about in this muggle park at night-it was halfway between the burrow we were staying at, and the Lovegood-Longbottom house, so it was a pretty good place to hang out in."  Rose shrugged. 

"Just pointing out that has  _nothing at all_ to do with you snogging Lysander."  Grace sung, and Rose rolled her eyes.

"Really!  There's no story.  We used to sneak out after curfew, meet there.  One night, everyone else had sneaked back off home, and were were a little bit tipsy.  So we made out in the park."  Rose shrugged, before glancing at her watch, hoping that none of them knew her tell-tale signs.

"I have to go meet my family, what are you guys doing tonight?"  Rose asked casually, as the girls around her gasped and giggled about Rose and Lysander.

"Don't know yet."  

Hastily sticking her wand in the back pocket of her jeans (and Scorpius' note in the front pocket) she headed out of the room, her friends still gossiping as she left.  She wandered out of the common room, stopping to speak to a few third years she was helping in subjects, before wandering down the corridor, apologising to a group of students who she _thought_ were the ones that she stole firewhiskey from, promising to repay the debt.   
"Hey!"  She'd walked halfway to heads dorms, when Lysander waved to her from the entrance of the Gryffindor dorm.  It seemed that  _any_ time she mentioned a person, they appeared far, far more often.  Not that it was a bad thing, Lysander was an old friend,  she'd known him for practically as long as she'd been alive, so, even though they hadn't talked in awhile (their class schedules and friend circles didn't really overlap), they could easily slip back into their friendship.

"Where you headed to?"  He asked, as he jogged over to join her. 

"Going over to eat at Molly's.  Slight warning: maybe skip dinner tonight?"  Rose raised her eyebrows, and Lysander clenched his teeth slightly.

"Who was it this time?  You?  Lily, Hugo and Lucy?   _Molly_?"  Lysander questioned, his australian accent coming out. 

"Wrong, wrong, wrong.  Fred and James, come on Ly, expected you'd go for the obvious."  Rose shook her head, as Lysander jokingly groaned. 

"Aw no, always skip out on the easy answers."  he smirked, and Rose laughed.

"Don't worry, I suspect that Lily, Hugo and Lucy will get up to something while Fred and James are able to take the fall."  Rose smiled, and Lysander smirked again.

"You gonna do anything Ro?" Lysander asked, as Rose smiled slightly at the way they'd slipped into old habits, before fakely gasping. 

"Me? I would never do anything like that!"  Rose exclaimed, as Lysander chuckled.

"Ro, I was  _there_ the summer of '07."  Lysander laughed, and Rose blushed. 

"Hey, I got to keep up appearances! Got the prophet breathing down my back all the time." Rose complained, and Lysander shrugged. 

"Thought that had died down now Teddy had a job there?"  Lysander asked, and Rose half shook her head.

"It helps."  
"And your version of laying low is getting pissed in the middle of the day?"  Lysander cocked his head, smirking at her. 

"Oh my god, is there  _anyone_ that hasn't heard about that?"  Rose groaned, throwing her head back, and her hands in the air.

"The real question on my mind is was it because you are pregnant, or because you're having an romeo-juliet style romance, or because your muggle transgender secret cousin was murdered by her pet budgie?"  
Lysander asked, as Rose froze.

"I worry so much for the way rumours run about this school." Rose rolled her eyes, as Lysander laughed, pausing outside the head dorms.

"Enjoy your food Ro. Talk again soon?"  He asked, beginning to back away.  
"Yeah.  Bye Ly."

"Promise?" He yelled.

"Promise what?"  Rose shouted back, and she could see Lysander's eye twinkle as he scrapped a hand through his floppy hair.

"That we'll talk soon."  He replied cheekily. 

"Promise"  Rose replied, as he finally turned the corner to walk away, just as Lily stuck her head out the portrait.

"Ohhh blond... just the wrong blond." Lily wrinkled her nose, as she let Rose in behind her.

"What do you mean the wrong blond?"  Rose asked, rolling her eyes as she stepped through the portrait hole.

"Nothing."  Lily said quickly, as they moved towards the 'common room' of the head's dorm.

"Were you talking to Lysander?"  She asked, as Rose nodded. 

"Yeah, we hadn't talked in awhile." She shrugged.  
  


"Are they coming to our New years party?" Lily asked, twiddling with her hair, as everyone else helped themselves to food around them.

"The Longbottom-Lovegoods usually do." 

"ooo who we talking about?"  Lucy bounced over, closely followed by Dominique.

"Lysander.  And whether or not he'll be at our new years party."  Lily filled them in.

"Ohhh I hope so.  I like Lysander.  He's my favourite blond."  Lucy grinned, taking a bite of the lasagna.

"Oi!   _I'm_ everyone's favourite blonde!"  Dominique complained, scurrying over.

"I thought they might be going back to Australia for the holidays."  Lily frowned slightly. 

"They usually go at easter time." Rose shrugged,

"I'm so glad they're coming.  Lysander's gotten really hot."  Dominique batted her eyelashes jokingly, as Lucy, and Lily nodded along.

"Definitely.  Wouldn't mind kissing him at midnight."  Lily joked, as Dominique smiled smugly.

"What do you think Rosie?"  She sung, pouting slightly at her. 

"I don't really have an opinion.  Wouldn't be be bizarre to snog Lysander Lil?"  Rose commented rather nonchalantly, as Lucy rolled her eyes. 

"Was it weird to kiss him Rose?"  Dominique asked, as Rose feigned surprise.

"I wouldn't know."  She lied.

"Don't pretend to be so innocent Rosie, you guys weren't the _only_ ones who like to sneak out the burrow last summer." Lucy raised her eyebrows, before Rose got up, going over to grab a plate, and piling on different types of pub food Al had brought back from diagon alley.

"Basically it was because Johnny Flogberg was trying to tell Lorcan that his accent was fake."  Lucy finished off as Rose sat back down.

"You know, I heard a rumour that him and-"

"Victoire and Teddy are definitely coming for both Christmas and New Year"  Molly called out excitedly from the window, letting her owl rest on its perch as she folded the letter over gently and slid it into a drawer. 

"You do know you'll get in trouble for having an owl away from the owlery?"  Louis pointed out, piping up for the first time.

"Not if you're head girl you don't, and not if it's head girl business." Molly smirked, flirting over to the couch where everyone had gathered. 

"How is owling Vic head business?"  Al raised his eyebrows as he flopped back onto the couch.

"She used to be a head girl."  Molly smirked at her own cleverness.  She had an almost pristine reputation; not because she  _constantly_ followed the rules, more because she found loopholes and bended them to suit her, and because when she  _did_ break the rules,  _no one ever found out_.

"Why's Vic owling you?"  Dominique pulled a face, staring suspiciously at the drawer.

"Giving me tips on how to get you guys under control."  Molly joked, rolling her eyes as she ate a few chips off of her plate.

"Like you could get _us_ under control."  Hugo scoffed, as Molly shot him a glance (that she seemed to have learned from her namesake), shutting him up immediately. 

"Apparently she _can_."  Roxy muttered from the corner, shooting a bitter look at the group.  Molly pursed her lips, before glancing at Dominique, and then at her watch. 

"Have you all brought along your hip flasks?"  Molly asked, as everyone nodded, and Lily smiled mischievously. Lily was the entire reason that they all  _had_ hip-flasks; she had a nasty habit of spiking every drink she could get her hands on. Molly grinned as her family chorused back a yes, before stalking over to a cupboard. 

"Bring us up your hip-flasks."  She instructed, filling them up with pumpkin juice as the various people wandered up.

Dominique slid over to Rose, smiling coily.

" _Entendez vous avez beurré, ma petite-"_

"Speak English you twat!"  Rose glared at her, as she smirked some more, prettily tossing her long hair over her shoulder.

"Heard you got absolutely pissed earlier on today."  She grinned, slouching slightly. 

"Jesus lucy did you tell  _everyone_?"  Rose glared at her cousin.

"I  _had_ to get the potion from somewhere, didn't I?"  Lucy pointed out, rolling her eyes before moving over to talk to Hugo.

"So what made you resort to drinking firewhiskey in the middle of the afternoon?" Dominique smirked, and Rose tossed her hair.

"Because I wanted to."  She shrugged, and smirked. 

"Good enough reason for anyone."  Dominique smiled, before holding her hip-flask out to Rose.

"Molly is just filling mine up."  She shrugged. 

"It's not pumpkin juice."  Dominique winked, and Rose shook her head. 

"I've got a lot of work to do tonight."  She lied, as Dominique gasped. 

" _N_ _on, non, non!"_ Dominique exclaimed, flourishing her hands in the air.

"I spent most of my afternoon passed out.  I have  _loads_ of work to do." Rose complained and Dominique groaned. 

"Party in the room of requirement!  Tonight!  Provided we all get through dinner, that is."  Dominique added. Rose smiled slightly to herself.  She was pretty certain that her and Scorpius'...  _game_ , was still on for tonight, and the fact they were all going to be in the room of requirement meant that she and Scorpius could go to the opposite end of the school, into the old astronomy tower, and they wouldn't be disturbed.  And at most times, there was at least one couple under it, so if anyone came along they'd have time to hide. Everyone seemed to forget that there was actually a _room_ at the top of the stairs. Rose smirked to herself. 

"Who you thinking about with that smirk?"  Albus asked, throwing himself down into the space Dominique had newly vacated.

Rose rolled her eyes, ignoring Albus' question.

"So how long you and one of my best friends been hooking up?"  She raised an eyebrow, and Albus, in turn, ignored her question.

"You'll be in the library tomorrow, right?  I need help with transfiguration."  Albus informed her, and Rose nodded.

"Yeah, course.  Are you going to come by before Quidditch practise or after?"

"After, probably."

"Hey Rox." Molly smiled as she sat down by the girl on the window seat. 

"What's up?"  Molly asked softly, smiling, and Roxy rolled her eyes, tossing her hair. 

"Nothing."  She spat out, turning away from the slight hurt in Molly's eyes. 

"You can talk to me, you know."  Molly reminded her as she glared, slumping slightly. 

"Yeah."  Roxy muttered, as Molly headed back over to the group, joining in on the game of exploding snap they were playing. Roxy sighed again, staring out of the window, before shaking her head slightly. 

"What's up with Roxy?"  Lily asked Lucy quietly, who shrugged. 

"No idea.  Doesn't seem happy."  she replied, tugging at her hair slightly.

"So  you warned Fabian about dinner tonight?"  Lily smirked, as Hugo piped up from across the room, where he'd (somehow) been listening into their conversation.

"Why would she warn Fabian?  She doesn't even  _know_ him."  Hugo pointed out, as everyone stared at him.

"Fabian?  As in Fabian Clearwater? I didn't know you were friendly enough with him to warn him about the dinner Hugh."  Dominique raised an eyebrow.

"Wait,  _Fabian Clearwater_ knows about the dinner plans?"  Rose yelped, and Albus fell of the couch, before looking up with shock plastered on his face. 

"One of you spilled about dinner?  To a  _Slytherin_?"   He gasped, staring wide-mouthed around the room.

"You're a slytherin Albus."  Louis reminded him, as Al spluttered. 

"Well, yeah, but I'm not-He's not family!"  Albus defended himself, nodding.

"I told Lysander."  Rose admitted, as Albus threw his head onto his hands.

"Guys, the  _entire point of pranking the whole school at dinner_ , is that  _no one fucking knows_."  Albus rolled his eyes, as Dominique laughed.

"Albus, everyone will realise when none of us eat anything. And when whatever happens happens."  She pointed out,

"But but that point it'll be too late!"  Albus protested.

"But  _everyone_ will know if we go shooting our mouths off like rogue bludgers!"  Al frowned, as Dominique rolled his eyes.   
"I think the  _real_ question  _min chère_ , is  _who_ knows Fabian Clearwater enough to tell him?" Dominique arched an eyebrow, before staring at Hugo, who shrugged. 

"Lily  _said_ it."  He said defensively, as the group turned to Lily, who shrugged awkwardly.

"I-um, I-"  She muttered, and Rose glanced at them.

"He's Juliette's little brother."  Rose subbed in helpfully, allowing Lily the chance to recover.

"Yeah, Professor Patil said he'd help me with my transfiguration. Not my best subject.  And Rose knows his sister, we have friends in common.  And he's pretty hot."  Lily smirked, as Lucy muttered a small 'amen', the two of them sharing a look.

"If you were struggling in transfiguration, you could've just asked any of us for help, not some bloody,  _older_ boy."  Albus frowned, as Lily laughed.

"I am perfectly entitled to ask who ever i want for help."  She frowned, as Albus shook his head.

"I don't like the idea of you being alone with some  _older boy_."  He said defensively, as Lily's eyes narrowed.

"Well, there's nothing you can do about it."  Lily arched an eyebrow, before turning back to Lucy and continuing their conversation.

Albus frowned to himself, and if Rose  _knew_ her cousin, he'd figure out a way to stop it. Lily and Fabian-  _that_ was a new development.  

"We should probably head down to the hall." Hugo pointed out, and soon Rose was caught up in a swirl of her family, as they stormed through the corridors, arriving at just the same time as Fred and James.

Sliding into their place on the gryffindor bench (even those who weren't in Gryffindor), they glanced around at the seemingly peaceful hall.  Rose glanced further down the table, spotting Lysander who winked back at her, before glancing over to the slytherin table where Scorpius was piling his plate full of food.

"Oi Rose.  Remember to load your plate up you twat.  Otherwise it looks suspicious." Fred nudged her, as her hands moved towards the food plates. 

"Fred, this isn't my first prank."  She reminded him, and he grinned.

"Are you ready for this?"

"Fuck yeah." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SO SORRY ABOUT HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN ME TO POST I HAD SERIOUS WRITERS BLOCK


	11. Almost

Fred and James smirked at each other, as they watched everyone fill up their plates with food, and take long drinks from the cups on the table.  A few of the ravenclaws were eyeing them suspiciously, as they poured from their hipflasks  into the cups, whispering to each other and staring at them, before, in the end, deciding not to drink the juice, but continued to load up their plates.  It was about ten minutes into dinner, and still nothing had happened.

"When are they going to change or something?"  Hugo asked, frowning slightly as James winked.

"The longer  the effects are delayed, the more they eat and drink, they get pranked more."  He smirked to himself.

"That's actually quite clever." Molly nodded at them with approval, as James tapped his head.

"We're more than just pretty faces you know." He grinned widely, as Albus cocked his head.

"How can you be more than something you don't have?" James raised his wand slightly, as Molly scowled at the two, and they settled down slightly. Instead of paying attention to her cousin's idiocy, Rose cast an eye around the hall, before she finally spotted the person she was looking for; Malfoy.  He was sitting at the Slytherin table, just on the edge of a group of people.  Rose could imagine him contributing his sly and sarcastic remarks every ten minutes or so, not fully joining in on the conversation. Just like him-did he think he was too good for them? Or, Rose admitted grumpily, it could just be because he didn't really know them and they were a year older.  But _probably_ he was just being a twat.  And look at the way he was sitting!  His arms casually sprawled like that, his muscles basically  _bursting_ through his shirt. I mean, _come on_.  Surely he could afford a new shirt?  If he was going to have  _amazing_ arms like that, he should at least get something that makes them less obvious! It's _basically_ a set up to make people think about his arms, how they would feel wrapped round her, his hands on her back, through her hair...  **WAIT,** _no._ Merlin's pants, Malfoy had managed to trap even  _Rose_ in his twisted plan.  _What an absolute psycho._ She shook her head slight, casting any images (of which there was quite a few) of Malfoy and his  _arms_ out of her head, choosing instead to focus on the prank.  

Rose stared around the hall again, before she glanced up at the teacher's table, where Professor Lovegood was eyeing them suspiciously, but obviously keeping her suspicions to herself as next to her, her husband, Professor Longbottom, was shovelling in food.

"I hope you guys left Professor Lovegood alone."  Rose warned them,as they nodded. 

"Obviously."  Fred stated, as Dominique tilted her head.

"Why?"

"She's pregnant."  Hugo stated matter of factly, and slightly smugly, glad he was finally not last to know something.

"LUNA IS PREGNANT?"  Dominique proclaimed loudly, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Yeah."  Rose shrugged, as Dominique punched all of them (the best she could while trying not to touch the pranked plates of food surrounding her).

"AND NO ONE THOUGHT TO TELL ME THIS?!  She screeched, just before there was a loud pop at the hufflepuff table.  Apparently not even hufflepuffs (who usually suffered less than the other houses, thanks to Molly) were safe this time.  Where Cedric Chang once sat, there was now a large, yellow, squawking bird.  A few more pops around the hall and about twenty people had turned into birds.

"Canary Creams?  We were expecting more."  Roxy shook her head sighing dramatically, as Fred and James laughed.

"Just fucking wait."

They did wait.  Ten minutes later, and all that had happened was that Samantha Young had fallen off her seat with laughter.

"Was that it?" Albus asked, rolling his eyes.

"I knew you guys had gone soft."  He claimed, going to pick a grape off the vine before Rose hit his hand away.

"We bloody well haven't.  Just wait."  James replied, slapping his brother over the head in a (mostly) friendly fashion.

" **WHAT?** " A loud yell came from over in the corner of one of the four tables, where, suddenly, a girl, and the group of people surrounding her, turned into Albus.

"What the fuck did you do that for?"  Albus moaned, staring at his small army of look alikes, who were popping up all over the hall, as Lily and Lucy gutted themselves laughing.  About forty people suddenly stood up, strained expressions on their faces as if they were trying to stop, before bursting into a choreographed dance routine, dancing over tables, over people, all directed towards Professor Flitwick, proclaiming their love to him in the tune of Rick Astles' 'Never gonna give you up'.  The large roast chickens on the table suddenly turned into smaller-sized dragons, which began stalking up and down the tables, over pupils, some flying, and others breathing fire over pupils that made them speak solely in Shakespeare sonnets. Decoy Detonater's went off all over the place, girl's voices went deep, boy's voices went high, noses grew like pinocchio, firework began to explode near the roof, and up at the Professor's table, Neville had gone completely green.  Fred and James had somehow transformed the Ravenclaw Quidditch team's (which was extremely impressive, considering they all sat scattered throughout the four tables) into Professor McGonnagal, and they'd caused half of slytherin and half of gryffindor's robes to turn bright pink, and Ravenclaw's a sickly baby blue.  Groups of third years had suddenly began to float, most of whom were being held down by the tail end of their robes, as students all around gasped in surprise, holding their arses as Pig;s and foxes' tails popped out of them.

"POTTER!  WEASLEY!"  James and Fred glanced up at the table at the front of the hall, where a small stream of Professors were marching towards them.  Fred and James shared a look, before smirking.  

"Time for the grand finally."  Fred yelled, grinning cheerfully, before they shot some spells at the floor by the Professor's feet, causing them all to sink into it slightly, before pointing their wands at the 'sky', and muttering something slightly.  The celling's usual star-light appearance became cloudy, and stormy, before it began to rain-actually rain.  Rose gazed at it.  It had _never_ actually rained before. As far as she knew, there wasn't even a  _spell_ that could do that. Drenching the students (and teachers alike) in 'water', a magical orange sparkle began to rise after it, as 'lightning' struck people, causing all of their hair to stand on end.  Glancing around the hall, it was quick to see the the 'rain'  _wasn't_ just water; as soon as it touched a person, their hair colour colour began to change.  Soon, most of the hall had bright, obvious, Weasley red hair.

"Weasleys!"  Professor McGonagall bellowed, looking stern (though Rose  _saw_ the twinkle in her eye).

"My office!  Now!"  She called, as they all got up, struggling to breathe, leaning on each other for support, laughing at the hilarity of the situation.

"NOW!"  The headmistress screeched, as the Fred and James fell about laughing still (and the rest of the cousins silenced), as they were escorted by one or two teachers, the rest trying to gather together the dragons (who several people thought would make more-than amazing pets) and fix the mess Fred and James had caused.

"I have to say, Professor Veena,  orange suits you." Dominique smirked, as he rolled his eyes. 

"Your parents will be coming."  He informed them, as they got placed in a room just off the head's office, Fred and James still laughing their heads off. 

"I wouldn't laugh so much if I was you.  You're all in a  _lot_ of trouble."  Professor Veena warned, before backing out the door, leaving them alone as they sunk into the seats.

"Got to say, Jamie, Freddie, that was impressive." Lily smiled at the two of them, as they all laughed.

"Did you see Professor Flitwick's face?" 

"We can laugh about it later.  We're gonna get blamed too, you know that right?"  Roxy said concernedly, raising her eyebrows. 

"Since when do you care about getting into trouble little sis?"  Fred asked, staring at her.

"Since I've already gotten into a lot.  And I don't want mum and dad thinking I need a term at Beauxbatons or some shit."Roxy cocked her head. 

"Yeah, I've already had like four detentions already this term.  I can't afford and more."  Rose bit her lip anxiously, the twinkle that had been in her eye from seeing Malfoy with Weasley hair fading away.

"And Molly is head girl, and I need to be a prefect."  Lucy added, swaying slightly, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, but none of you helped.  I mean, you literally didn't do anything." Fred shrugged, leaning back in his chair casually. 

"Just because we  _didn't_ do anything doesn't mean they'll  _believe_ we didn't. Have you _met_ our dad?" Lucy pointed out, nervously tapping.

"And Molly did something."  Louis added from the corner. 

"What? No she didn't."  James shook his head.

"She did." Louis argued.

"Nah mate.  This was all us." Fred and James leaned over to high five. Louis rolled his eyes.

"I heard the spell you used.  It doesn't exist.  Molly makes up spells all the time.  She helped you." 

"How do you know it doesn't exist?"  James argued weakly, as Lily rolled her eyes. 

"He remembers everything he reads James.  And he's read every book in the school library, and outside that."  Lily rolled her eyes again, as Molly shrugged.

"They asked me a hypothetical question, I gave them a hypothetical answer.  It's my job as head girl to help my peers with any questions  or queries they may have.  How was I supposed to know they planned to cast the spell?"  She smiled innocently, but the gleam in her eye said that she knew that the paragraph she'd just spouted was absolute bull.

"Don't worry about getting into trouble."  James chortled, nudging Fred.

"What do you mean don't worry about it?" Rose glared, before catching sight of herself across the room.  Wait, what? 

"JAMES POTTER!  FRED WEASLEY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"  She shrieked loudly, staring across the room at herself.

"Polyjuice!"  The other-Rose yelled, as the rest of her cousins fumbled around in confusion.

"What?"  Shrieked someone who looked like Hugo.

"You two are complete and utter _merdes!_ " 'Albus' sung, as fake-Molly swore at her(him?).

"Why would you do this you twats?!"  A high-voiced Louis squeaked, as Lucy (who Rose presumed was the real Louis) scowled at them all.

"Because it's funny."  Fred laughed, clutching his sides. 

"And because we didn't want you guys to go down with us."  Fred added, before James clapped his back.

"But mainly because it's fucking hilarious." James laughed, as there was a tut from the doorway.

"James Sirius, don't use such inappropriate language, especially in front of the younger ones."  Ginny raised an eyebrow at him, coming into the room, closely followed by the others, all with stern looks plastered on their faces, apart from George, who came in grinning, throwing his arms round Fred and James, hugging the two of them.

"I'm so fucking proud!"  He bellowed out, rubbing the boy's heads, as Angelina rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"For the love of merlin George!"  moving away from the boys, Geroge went to join the line up the adults had made.   
"Dad!"  Rose cried, going up and throwing her arms round Ron, as he patted her on the back slightly. 

"Are you okay Dominique? Because I'm not your dad, never mind what any of the tabloids say."  Ron joked, as Rose-as-Dominique frowned. 

"This was part of Fred and James' master plan."  A deep-voiced and stone-faced Lucy muttered, rolling her eyes. 

"Polyjuice?"  Harry glanced at his son, before sharing a look with Hermione and Ron, Hermione brushing her hair behind her ears and blushing slightly.

"Anyway."  Hermione interrupted, as Ron opened his mouth as if to say something.

"We've spoken to Professor McGonagall, and we've agreed on a punishment.  However, we want you to tell us- _truthfully-_ who was involved with the pranks throughout dinner, and the after-pranks."  Hermione stared at them all sternly, as the other parents joined in.

"It was just me and Freddie."  James stated, and, receiving the answer, the parents all relaxed. 

"Good."  Aubrey, Lucy and Molly's mum, smiled at her two daughters, as Percy stiffened up. 

"Thank you."  Hugo replied, smiling, going over to hold Aubrey's hand.

"We spoke to Professor McGonagall regarding your most recent string of detentions." Bill raised his eyebrows at Dominique, who squirmed awkwardly, before Albus coughed. 

"Might want to aim it at me dad." He suggested, biting his lip and looking down.

"Perhapz you should spend another year at  _Beauxbaton_."  Fleur suggested, as Albus shook his head vigorously. 

" _Mama, papo,_ I  _belong_ at Hogwarts."  She pleaded, as Fleur and Bill glanced at each other. 

"We'll get weekly reports from your teachers."  Bill warned, as Fleur rolled her eyes. 

" _Mon trésor,_ _Dominique_ has yet to do anything wrong."  Fleur pointed out, as Bill sighed. 

"This is the last time we want to be called out to the school." He warned, as Fleur gently gripped his arm.

"Bill,  _James and Freedi_ where ze cause of ze mischif and mayh'm.  Not our daughter."  She reminded him, before turning to her daughter. 

"Perhapz during Christmaz break, you could stay with your sister for a few dayz?"  Fleur raised an eyebrow, Rose quietly listening in, seeing Dominique-as-Albus crumple slightly.  Of course her parent's way of fixing her would be to send her to Victoire, who, in their eyes, was the _perfect_ daughter. Fred and James held a sheet of parchment up in the air. 

"Done!"  They hollered out, as Ginny took it, glancing it over. 

"Congrats, you have detention for the rest of the term."  Harry frowned at his son, who jumped up, high fiving Fred.

"HAHA DAD!  We BEAT your recorddddd!"  Fred began to dance in celebration, before George raised a hand.

"Sorry Freddie boy, not quite right.  You have two extra years at school than me-if you take my average-"  As Fred, James and George argued over this, Ron and Harry joining in, Hermione moved over to Dominique-Rose. 

"If only they put that much effort into their school work."  Hermione muttered, as Rose laughed slightly, feeling slightly guilty at the slight lack of studying  _she'd_ been doing lately. 

"Okay guys, we're good to get back to the dinner."  Ginny announced as she arrived back in the room. The adults all sighed with relief, getting prepared to go.

"I think you're forgetting something,"  Lucy-Louis muttered, as the adults glanced around.

"Fred and James got you into this mess, they can get you out."  Ginny shrugged.

"But-!"  Fake-Rose gasped, before Ginny slid a vile across the table. 

"Be good kids." Harry and Ron warned then before the adults disapparated. 

"That's interesting." Now-Molly-Molly mused to herself, happy to be back in her own skin. 

"How did you make the robes grow with us?"  Lily asked, as Rose turned to Molly. 

"What's interesting?" She asked, as Molly tilted her head. 

"Hogwarts has wards stopping people from disapparating from school grounds, at all, with very few exceptions. Apart from, apparently, this room." Molly gazed thoughtfully into the distance. 

"You should've been a Ravenclaw, with all that knowledge."  Albus teased, as Molly shook her head.

"I'm more interested in _finding_ answers."  She joked as they all began heading out, Roxy throwing her quaffle at Fred, who threw it at James.

"Knock it off guys."  Molly warned them as they wandered along the corridors, Roxy rolling her eyes. 

"What, it's now it's against the rules to throw a quaffle?"  She scoffed, as Molly smiled softly at them.

"It's literally always been against the rules."  She stuck her tongue out, before turning round to them.

"Please try and follow  _some_ of the rules."  She sighed, slightly exasperatedly, before walking a few steps, and stopping again.

"Speaking of rules, Lewis gets back from home on Monday."  Molly smiled, and Roxy whooped. 

"Yus!" She grinned, punching her hands up in the air before grabbing her quaffle back.

"Okay, party Tuesday night, place yet to be conformed.  Wait, I'll need to get a new pair of heels!"  Roxy exclaimed, rushing off. 

"Is that Lewis Montgomery?" Lysander asked from behind Rose, as she jumped almost three feet in the air.

"Yeah."  Hugo subbed in.

"Why was she at home?"  He prompted, as Hugo shrugged. 

"Her older sister had a baby."  Hugo replied, before continuing their conversation about chess, talking loudly (and as animatedly as one could, when talking about _chess_ ) to Lysander, before the group peeled off from behind her.  At some point, Louis had disappeared, Lucy had gone off with Lily, leaving Rose to walk back to the Ravenclaw common room alone.  

"Ready for tonight Rosie?" a voice leered out from behind her. Rose sighed, turning round.

"Malfoy."  Rose turned to face him, finding herself have to look up to glare him in the eye.  _When_ did he get so tall?  Had he grown in the past two hours since she'd seen him?

"Ready to be beaten?" Malfoy cocked an eyebrow, as Rose rolled her eyes.

"You  _won't_ beat  _me._ "

"You know, I was thinking it would be more fitting for our little contest to take place in the library." Scorpius smirked, so Rose could _easily_ see his sharp cheekbones. They were probably fake; or emphasised by makeup.   _No one's_ cheekbones were  _that_ perfect.

"Well, at least if you don't turn up, I'll know it's because you're afraid of losing."  Scorpius taunted, as Rose shook her head.

"Pathetic attempt to bait me there Malfoy."  She rolled her eyes again, as he gazed down at her.  His eyes were staring into her eye, then down to her lips, then her eyes again, and her lips, and suddenly he swooped down, pausing slightly when their foreheads were just touching.  Rose stared into his eyes, for just a second, before turning her face away, blushing as she felt his lips on her cheeks. She felt Scorpius pull back, hunching up.  She turned back to him, her eyes still averted. 

"Sorry.  That was so fucking stupid of me. Library."  He muttered, before turning around and running off, Rose seeing him in the distance when she finally looked up.  Rose stood, bewildered, looking round the empty corridor.  _Who_ could she even  _talk to_ about this? Her cousins got all weird whenever  _anything_ about her and Scorpius came up, Al would go all fairytale-style and probably  _name_ their children, Elsie would tell Al, and everyone else seemed to just tell  _everyone else_.  Really, there was no one to talk to.   _Why did she turn away?_  Wait, no, why  _wouldn't she_ turn away?  It's not as if she liked  _Scorpius_ or something.  He was  _albus's_ friend, and frankly  _she_ didn't see the appeal.  It's not even as though  _they_ could be classed as friends-they  _weren't._ They were, maybe  _acquaintances_ at most. That was  _it_.   _Why the fuck had he tried to kiss her?_

"Rose?" Someone gently tapped her elbow, Rose glancing round, saw Juliette. 

"You okay? You look a bit out of things."  She shrugged slightly, as Rose nodded. 

"Yeah-um, yeah, no, I'm okay." Rose smiled.

"Where you headed?"  She asked, and Rose shrugged. 

"I'm not really too sure."  She admitted, running her hand through her hair.

"I'm not really too sure either."  Juliette sighed, and Rose looked over at her to see the traces of tears on her face, despite the smile that was plastered on her face.

They walked in silence, along the empty corridors.  Funnily enough, Saturday nights didn't see many prefects in the corridors, only the occasional half-drunk students, which if you steered clear of the seventh floor, cut the chances of seeing anyone almost in half. They didn't speak, but somehow, Rose took comfort in the other girl's presence.

Soon, without realising it, they'd made a full lap of the school.

"Did you figure out whatever was bothering you?"  Juliette asked, smiling again, the traces of tears gone. 

"Yes, I did.  Did you?" Rose asked, and  the girl smiled sadly. 

"No. But I will, in time." With that, she floated away, rather dramatically. Staring after her for a second, she cast her from her mind to focus on the subject that mattered most:

Malfoy.  And how the fuck she was going to beat him at truth-or-dare-strip-chicken.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait!


	12. Naked

In the end, Rose decided that she should just  _tell_ her roommates.  They were, usually, good at keeping secrets, they'd managed to keep every single little thing Roxy had said to themselves, and Rose could easily recall half a dozen secrets for each of them that hadn't left their room. And although they might get all giggly and 'Rose is in  _love_ ' and not stop bugging her about it for the entire rest of her Hogwarts career, the only alternative she could think included telling Dominique, and she could absolutely  _not_ deal with the twinkle she would get or the smirk, or the fact it would spread round the entire rest of the family like fiendfyre thanks to the hints and comments she'd drop everywhere, that her cousins were more than able to pick up.

And it wasn't as though there was any  _reason_ for Rose to be even  _vaguely_ concerned about what they all thought, because there was nothing to it apart from complete speculation. And the Wet-shirt library incident.  And the almost kiss.  But there was  _no need_ for them to know about that, none at all.

She only need their help to figure out how to completely  _crush_ Malfoy, which had  _nothing at all, even vaguely_ to do with her, or her supposed 'feelings'.  Just to do with her need to crush him in every aspect of her life, and to come out triumphant. 

Right? 

 

"Rose!" Izzy looked up from where she'd been reading on her bed, grinning happily over at her. 

"Wasn't expecting you out of the head teacher's office for at least another hour."  She commented politely, and Rose shrugged. 

"Fred and James polyjuiced us all, so we got into no trouble."  Rose sat down on the edge of her bed, between the posters at the end, a much more sociable position than she usually took, before taking a moment to look around the room.  She'd picked up a book, under the pretence of reading, though she knew that none of her roommates would buy it.  They were Ravenclaws, and Rose  _never_ sat near the edge of her bed if she could help it.  That and the fact she sat with a book in her lap, but was staring across the room.

She'd lived with them all for the best part of five years, but she was still always cautious when it came to trusting them with secrets and details of anything that could even vaguely be considered gossip worthy.  It wasn't to do with her being too proud or something, but probably, Rose had theorised, something to do with growing up in the public eye; there was  _nothing_ the press loved more than a scandal focused on two thirds of the golden trio's daughter. She had already seen what the harm the media could cause, the shiny, finished, polished off Victoire being the  _living_ example.  If even one of her roommates told one other person a secret about her, it could easily set off a chain reaction that soon meant the whole wizarding world would know. Luckily for Rose however, they did have the four poster pact.

She sighed to herself, trying to figure  _if_ she should bring it up, and  _how_ she could bring it up, as she glanced around the room.

Elsie's bed was empty, as it was more and more often these days, and she didn't particularly want to tell her anyway.  Lately, there had seemed to be a lack of trust between Rose and her best friend. She would tell Albus, and Albus would tell everybody, probably. It wasn't as though she couldn't keep a secret, she was more than capable, but she had been so absent lately that Rose didn't even know when or  _how_ her and Albus got together.

The only other empty bed was Spencer's, who'd been visiting her sister for the past month.

Maddie's curtains were drawn around the bed, and Grace, Izzy and Imogen were all sitting on their beds, cross legged, same as she was. 

 How could she even bring it up?  It not as though Rose could exactly just blurt out, 'oh hey in a state of complete stupid competitiveness I made a thicker than a flobberworm decision that means I'm pretty much completely screwed, and am going to lose for the first time in four years and potentially get naked in front of Scorpius Malfoy, while revealing every single secret I've ever had to him, in the library tonight.' 

In the end, Rose decided that was  _exactly_ what she should do.

Taking a deep, slightly shaky breath, rose curled her feet up under her. 

"Oh, so hey.  Eh, in a state of complete stupid competitiveness I made a thicker than a flobberworm decision that means I'm pretty much completely screwed, and am going to lose for the first time in four years and potentially get naked in front of Scorpius Malfoy, while revealing every single secret I've ever had to him, in the library tonight." She blurted out, as Izzy dropped her book, and the drapes on Maddie's bed were dramatically pulled apart, Juliette sticking her head out. 

They all stared at her silently, before Izzy tilted her head.

"Four poster pact?"  Izzy suggested, as Rose nodded relieved. 

"Four poster pact."  She scooted back on the bed, making room, as Grace and Izzy rushed over to Rose's bed, followed by Juliette and Imogen, who just looked confused.  Imogen had moved into their dorm much after they'd made the pact, and Juliette was a slytherin, so neither of them had any clue what it was.

"The four poster pact was a pact we made in first year, we'd all sit on someone's bed, and we'd swear that nothing that was said would leave the four posters, unless it was brought up by the teller."  Grace stated matter of factly (memorising definitions was her speciality), before turning to Rose. 

"Now what's this about you getting naked with Scorpius?"  Rose blushed, burying her face in her hands, as they all stared at her. 

"You won't break the pact, will you?"  Rose asked cautiously, as Izzy tilted her head. 

"I don't really want all of Hogwarts to know that Evan and I secretly dated for four months while he was still being blackmailed into dating Jennifer Cromby, I think her and her friends might kill me.  Or that my first kiss was under the bleachers at the quidditch pitch and Atticus Nott accidentally bit my lip so hard that I had to go to Madame Pomphrey to get it fixed."  Izzy smiled, as Rose stifled a laugh. 

"And  _I_ _certainly_ don't want  _anyone_ to know about the last-year-river-incident." Grace's eyes widen, as Rose laughed slightly, calming down. 

"Okay... So, eh, last night, apparently me and Malfoy played truth-or-dare-strip-chicken,"  Rose began, staring round at her friend's faces who all nodded encouragingly.

"And this morning, he claimed he beat me, and we got into a bit of an argument..."

"No, you didn't....?"  Grace groaned, as Rose finished,

"And we're meant to be rematching in the library tonight."  Rose groaned, as the other girls did too. 

"Rose, unless you're drunk, you're the  _worst_ at truth-or-dare-strip-chicken!"

"And getting drunk is  _not_ an option!  I just need you guy's help to beat him!"  Rose smiled enthusiastically, and slightly sheepishly. 

"Is that all?"  Grace raised an eyebrow, acknowledging the absolutely _huge_ task. 

"Why are you being so negative? Rose hasn't lost to Scorpius in years."  Izzy reminded them, smiling at her, which made Rose feel slightly more confident.

"Yeah, but Scorpius is the reigning champ. Like, seriously, that boy is a genius."  Grace reminded them. 

"Well, to win at Truth-or-dare-strip-chicken, you just have to exploit his weaknesses." Izzy stated, nodding, pulling a small sheet of parchment off her bedside table, writing 'How to defeat Scorpius Malfoy' at the top, in her loopy writing. 

"Step one is to make him feel nervous."  Grace commanded, and Izzy nodded. 

"Step two, get way too personal"

"Step three, ask him questions he won't want to answer"  
"Step four, never skip out on a question unless completely and absolutely necessary."  
"You guys are forgetting the most essential part."  Imogen stated, as they all turned to look at her. 

"She has to make him  _want_ to take all of her clothes off. Distract him like that and she's basically won the game." She stated, as the girls all grinned at each other, before leaping off the bed, yanking open trunks. 

"Let's get started then."

*

Rose gently bashed the back of her head against the cold, stone wall, her eyes shut, back arched.  Why did she do this? Why this year? Why was she just making bad decision after bad decision after bad decision?  And why had they all involved Scorpius Malfoy? If she had  _any_ chance of getting head girl, she had to straighten out her act.  Her  _entire problem_ was him.  She thought.  Him with his stupid twinkly eyes and that  _god awful_ smirk that made her want to snog him just to get him to  _stop_.  

"Rose?"  From the top of the staircase, Professor Lovegood stared down at her, giving her a slightly awkward smile as she rubbed a hand absentmindedly over her stomach.

"Come on up."  She stated, retreating into the room at the top as Rose sighed, grabbing and swinging her satchel over her shoulder, blushing to herself as she begrudgingly trudged up the stairs.  Despite her previous invite in, Rose paused at the top, knocking on the dark wooden door, before she gently pushed it open.

"Rose. Cup of tea?"  Luna offered politely, gesturing for her to come sit down on the couch, as she pottered around with two cups.

"Thank you."  Rose stated simply as Luna handed her a mug, and she headed over to the couch, biting her lip at how awkward Luna looked, and blushing when she saw what was on the table.

"Luna-eh, Professor Lovegood, I um-no thank you."  She stuttered slightly, blushing an even brighter red.

"Rose, I'm afraid it's either this and a detention, or we get both yours and Mr Malfoy's parents to the school to discuss this with you."  She stated firmly.

"But Professor, Scorpius and I... We aren't...!" Rose blushed further.

"Even if you aren't now, you might at some point in the future."  Luna smiled slightly, obviously trying to calm the situation, shifting her weight as she flicked hair out of her face. 

"Obviously, you already know the potential negatives of having unsafe sex, or sex with the wrong person-heartbreak, pregnancy, STDs, Magical Fungus, wand disease. Have you thought about all the possible negatives having sex, or being sexually active can bring to your life?" 

"Miss, I'm not-"

"Rose."

"Yes, I'm aware."  Rose stated, staring intensely at the wooden table in front of them.

"Well, yes, if you do plan on having sex, you should take the necessary precautions-different types of protections and such.  There's protection spells in the leaflets I'm giving you, The potion is available from the infirmary, though you have to be of age, which you are not, if you do get pregnant, obviously abortion is illegal except in dire circumstance-an effect of the wars, I'm afraid, but the TL program -that's Transferring Love- allows the baby to be moved to another womb, natural of synthetic, and it is adopted, and.. there's _several_ rumors that different parts of animals, such as the wings of Blagerbees, can prevent pregnancy but the truth is they aren't effective...oh yes!  Condoms!  Condoms are a muggle contraceptive, but usually are reliable, you can get them from outside my office any time, they work best when also paired with the potion..."  Rose zoned out as Luna picked up a cucumber. She already knew all this, through Dominique.  When she was twelve, her mother had asked her if she knew all about the 'birds and the bees' as she'd called it, and not wanting to seem thick in front of her mother, she'd said yes, though really she'd had no clue at all about what she was talking about.  Over the years, Dominique had been more than happy to explain, as well as offering 'tips' to her. 

"Have you had sex?"  The question jolted Rose out of her daydream, causing her to blush deeply. 

"No."  She stated, whilst internally screaming; _yes i have._  Luna relaxed, smiling, and continued on her talk.  This was awful.  Here she was, talking to  _Aunt Luna,_ her mum's friend, her Aunt Ginny's  _best friend,_ her little cousin's  _name sake_ about _s e x_.  And it made it even worse knowing that Luna hadn't followed the advice she was doling out herself; yup, thanks to a conversation Rose had (sadly) overheard, she knew that  _none_ of Luna's children had been planned,  _especially_ her latest pregnancy. 

"Okay, so good. Yes. Here."  Luna shoved the pile of leaflets, and a box of jumbo condoms towards her, before getting up from the couch, absentmindedly rubbing her bump, and moving into a chair. 

"So how are you getting on Rose?"

Rose shrugged.

"Okay."

"You've had more detentions lately."

"Yeah, um, I'm... working somethings through." Rose stated, as Luna cocked her head.

"Scorpius?"  Rose blushed, giving Luna the only answer she needed.

"Do your parents know about the two of you?"

Rose practically burst.

"There is  _no_ the two of us!  We're not even friends!  We're...?"  Rose exclaimed, as Luna raised an eyebrow.

"You've gotten all the same detentions, are on the same prefect rota and last night some prefects found the two of you holed up together in the library, partially naked.  You are at least friends."  Luna noted something on a scrap of parchment. 

"Your detention will take place at nine on Friday night, and will last until you are finished.  You will clean every trophy in the trophy room, without magic."  Luna nodded, before relaxing into the chair.

"So, how are the family?"

 

"Rose."  When Rose finally left her office, Lysander was standing at the bottom of the stairs, grinning away,

"Hey mum, brought ya the stuff you wanted."  He gestured to a box that was slightly overflowing, grinning.

"Thanks Ly, come on in."  Luna pushed through the door next to her office, as Rose began to head down the stairs, and Lysander followed his mother, smirking as he went. Rose shook her head, hastily stuffing the box of condoms into her satchel, as she turned the corner outside the classroom, and bumped straight into the one and only Scorpius Malfoy. 

"Scorpius."  She stated cautiously, blushing slightly as she bent down to pick up the content of her bag that had spilled everywhere, Scorpius helping her.

"Nice to see you with clothes on this time.  Is it bad to say that I'm just a little disappointed?"  He joked, smirking, as Rose sighed, keeping her eyes fixed to the ground. 

"We've had a lot of detentions because of each other this year."  he stated simply, dropping all pretences.

"I wonder who's fault that is?"  Rose remarked, before quickly changing her tune as she saw his face drop.

"Obviously Al's."  She smiled slightly, as did Scorpius.

"Obviously.  I mean, all of it.  Completely Al's fault."  Rose chuckled, both of them staring into each other's eyes before Rose broke contact. 

"I, uh,"  Scorpius lowered his voice, glancing round the hallway, happy to see it empty.

"I won't tell anyone what you told me last night.  Or what happened."  He stated mysteriously,as Rose squirmed awkwardly.

"I think we should forget it ever happened." Rose stated, staring at the floor, as Scorpius straightened up again.

"So where does that leave us?""  he asked, staring into Rose's eyes. 

"F-Friends?"  She suggested, rather uneagerly. 

"okay, yeah, uh, friends."  Scorpius almost looked upset for a moment, before plastering on his signature smirk. 

"better get back to class." Rose stated, before hurrying off in the opposite direction, despite the fact they were in _supposed_ to be going in the same direction. 

"Wait, Rose! You forgot your...jumbo box of condoms?" Scorpius stared down at the box for a second, before stuffing it in his bag, and pacing away.

*

"What the bloody hell is going on between you and Scorp?"  Al demanded, slamming himself down onto the seat next to Rose.

"This is the ravenclaw table?"  someone a few seats pointed out, and Al shrugged off, waving a hand.

"I have cousin rights."

"Nothing."  Rose stated, not looking away from the pages of her history of magic textbook.

"You've done nothing but politely nod to each other for a week. Seriously,you've both been acting weird since Sunday.  What happened on Sunday morning?  What happened to all the swearing and arguing?"  He raised an eyebrow, as Rose rolled her eyes. 

"I'm surprised you've had the chance to notice anything to do with Scorpius or me, these days aren't you usually too busy sticking your tongue down Elsie's throat?"  

From beside her, Grace compressed a laugh. 

"You guys are meant to be smart.  Surely you know that the lunch table is for eating at, not reading."  Albus quipped, avoiding Rose's jab, and the joke fell flat as no one payed any attention to him.

"Okay, tough crowd."  He tutted, striding up off the table, and rubbing Rose's hair before walking away.

When he was finally gone, the girls put their books down on the table, animatedly slapping them shut. 

"He has a point you know." Grace raised an eyebrow, directing her question at Rose who was too busy watching Elsie mount- _literally mount_ , despite the fact they were sitting in the middle of the slytherin table-Albus, who had newly returned.

"Exactly.  Never thought I'd miss your stupid bickering until it stopped."  Izzy added.

"And- _merlin's balls why the fuck are they basically dry humping in the hall?"  
_ Grace shouted, staring over at Albus and Elsie for a minute, before redirecting to the current problem at hand. 

"And Scorpius seems unhappy."  Grace finished, gesturing towards Scorpius, who was sitting uncomfortably close to Al and Elsie (thanks to the limited space on the bench), and was doing his best to ignore the two of them, hunched over a sandwich. 

Rose broke away from looking at him, shrugging.

"We're doing what all of you wanted.  Being friends.  I fucking remember how much all of you complained about our arguments."  Rose stuck out her tongue, as Grace rolled her eyes.

"that is not friends... You're acting as though you're the awkward work partners who are best pals of a recently-and-badly divorced couple."  Rose stared blankly at the girl next to her, to whom she'd  _never_ spoken to, who shrugged.

"Just sayin'" She turned back to her plate.

"Anyway. the point is we miss our Rose and Scorpius, even if he _is_ a pompous prat sometimes.  And hey, you've been different too."  Grace rounded off, before Rose rolled her eyes.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine, Scorpius is fine, and you all got what you've wanted since second year." Rose raised her eyebrows at her friends, before standing, placing a hand on Izzy's shoulder to show that there was no hard feelings. 

"I'm going to go now." Rose stated, stalking out of the hall, Scorpius unknowingly following a few minutes later.

As Rose left the hall, she tried to get rid of  _any_ references to the person that had been plaguing her thoughts. Why did she think of him so much anyway?  There were  _plenty_ people that Rose would consider hot, like Professor Longbottom ( _what_ a catch), Teddy (He wasn't  _really_ her cousin, and Victoire was dating him anyway), Kingsley Shacklebolt... The  _point_ was, there were  _plenty_ of people Rose could find attractive, but wouldn't  _date,_ or  _kiss_ , she could just appreciate their beauty every once in awhile.  That didn't mean she was constantly thinking about them, like damn Malfoy.  Maybe she should watch what she ate?   Was there a potion like this..?  Aha!  Potions!   _That_ 's what Rose could do.  Schoolwork had always succeeded in taking Rose's mind off things, and the only homework she had was that bloody potions assignment.  It wasn't due in for a while yet, but hey, she could start it!  She had Potions work she could do.  But wait- _no fucking way_.   _Her fucking potions partner was bloody Scorpius fucking Malfoy!_  

"He's managed to burrow himself into every bloody aspect of my life!"  Rose wailed, before walking off, as the painting behind her crooned after her:

"Ah, young love!"

*

Rose moodily stomped around the edge of the lake.  She wasn't normally like this.  Normally, Malfoy took up a few hours of her life and then she was done with him, and would go back to do whatever it was she used to do. Why was this year so different?  Was it because Elsie had got together with Al and she'd lost her two best friends?  Or was it that Dominique had come back from Beauxbatons with her head in the clouds (and in her arse) spouting nonsense? Was it because Molly didn't keep everyone in line as much (now she was busy being head girl, and hooking up with her not-boyfriend)?  Was it because Scorpius had gotten so, so,  _so_ much hotter over the summer? (because even though Rose had-and  _would_ firmly deny it to  _anyone_ who asked, she did in fact notice how fucking  _gorgeous_ he was).  Or was she going crazy?  Was she desperately searching for something to do?  Was she rebelling,  _somehow_ , against her family? And  _how_ was it possible to miss him when he hadn't gone anywhere? She sighed exasperatedly, throwing a rock out into the lake.

"Rose?"  Rose spun round to see her cousin Louis sitting, leaning against a tree.  He pulled out her earbuds (Hugo and Louis were some of the few at school with ipods, specially adapted by their grandad so they'd work).

"Hey." She replied slightly grumpily, before smiling. How was it her family was everywhere? 

"What's wrong?"  He asked, getting up and coming over to join her, the leaves in the tree ruffling slightly. 

"nothing."  She sighed, as he rolled his eyes. 

"You know, sometimes the people we think we'll always hate can turn into some of our best friends."  he stated wisely, before turning; a boy Rose hadn't noticed was walking towards him.

"I better go."  Louis stated, before heading over to join the blonde boy, the two of them disappearing into the forbidden forest. Rose stared after them for a second, before jumping out of her skin as a shoe fell from what-the sky? and landed at the base of the tree.  Rose glanced around for a second, to try and figure out  _who_ could've possibly dropped it, before sighing, and heading back to the castle.  Was lunch almost over? At least she had a free fifth. And her and Scorpius could be friends.  Proper friends.  Nothing more.  

 

" **You Bitch!** "

"Calm down, just  _calm down_.  _Please_." 

" **You can't tell be to CALM DOWN you _fucking_ COW!**" Rose shoved through the crowds, flashing her prefect badge and ordering younger students to hurry up and get to class, as she tried to get to the source of the yelling.  Sadly, more often than not, at least one of Rose's cousins was involved in any drama that was going on, though thankfully not this time.  But Rose did recognise the voices.  Her heart sank when she finally placed them.

"Please stop."  Juliette's lip quivered from the centre of the crowd, tears streaming down her cheeks as she stared at Maddie, who glared fiercely. 

" **WHY are you DOING this to _ME_** **?** " She screamed again, as Juliette wiped away a tear.

"I'm not doing anything."  She stated calmly, but her eyes and her fists showed that she was anything but.

" **You are a slutty, selfish, _stupid_ cow.  I wish you had  _never_ been born.**"  With that, Maddie dramatically flounced away, leaving Juliette staring after her, open mouthed and broken hearted, as finally some professors began to arrive, finishing the job that Rose had started of clearing the students apart, sending them all to their afternoon classes by threatening detention. Rose saw Juliette rush up behind Maddie, grasping at her and sobbing, as the other girl shoved them back into one of the classrooms. 

"Weasley.  You saw all that?"  From across the corridor, Professor Patil addressed Rose, who nodded quickly. 

"Most of it Miss."  She replied, and the professor smiled slightly. 

"Submit an official report by the end of the day."  She stated, before quickly pacing off, Rose both smiling internally at the trust that the report entailed (usually, only the head boy, head girl and the head prefects got the honor), and groaning to herself over the extra work (after all, she now had to try and find someone who'd seen everything, and interview them). Not to mention the fact she had a detention on top of all of it.

"What's all this about?" Beside her Lysander whispered, and Rose nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Merlin's balls Ly, you scared the crap out of me."  Rose clutched onto his arms, as Lysander smirked. 

"I do try my best."

"I don't really know what's going on, Maddie and Juliette had a bit of a... heated disagreement by the sounds of things." Rose shrugged, heading off towards the Ravenclaw tower, fully aware that Lysander was following her.

"So.  This weekend's a Hogsmeade weekend."  he pointed out, and Rose grinned.

"Yeah, I'd forgotten.  Thank fuck.  Teddy and Victoire are coming up to see us all."  Rose grinned again, and beside her Lysander shrugged, pulling a face.

"That's a shame."  He stated, as Rose cocked her head. 

"How come?"

"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to go with me."  he smiled. 

"As friends."  He added, seeing Rose's eyes widen out of some form of terror.  She took a minute to breathe again.

"Well, there's always next time."  She grinned, and he smirked back.

"I'll hold you to that Ro."  He backed away, maintaining eye contact with her for as long as he could, before finally breaking it to turn and talk to some nearby hufflepuffs.

"that's a new development."  beside her, Eloise nudged her, smiling brightly 

"Not really."  Rose shrugged, as Eloise smiled brightly again.

"We haven't really spoke this week."  She grinned, and Rose smiled back, glad her friend was finally putting in effort again. 

"No, we haven't.  I have a repor-" She began, before Al swung up to Elsie, throwing his arm round her, and kissing her cheek (and her neck, and her ear.)

"Oh, hey Rosie.  Does this mean that your dorm isn't free?" Al sighed, as Elsie blushed, and Rose took a step back. 

"I was going to the library anyway.  You know, free period. It's all yours. Enjoy."  She flashed a smile at them, before swiftly turning away, and stalking off down the corridor.

 

 

Luckily, (and luck was a rare thing for Rose to come by these days), Rose managed to find a witness relatively quickly, a third year hufflepuff who'd been sitting on the stairs just as the two had begun their relatively short (and ill-timed) argument, so writing up the report wasn't the huge task Rose was expecting it to be, as she was done within half an hour.

 

"The report Professor."  Rose happily dropped it off at Professor Patil's desk, and the women smiled. 

"Excellent work Rose.  Please, take a seat."  She finished off marking the parchment in front of her, before looking up at her and smiling. 

"You, Rose, are a very talented young witch."  Professor Patil smiled at her-a rare occurrence, as Rose blushed.

"Thank you professor." 

"I have, however, noticed recently that you've been somewhat distracted.  Before this year, you'd had ten detentions in your entire hogwarts career, and this year you've had that many-or is it more? In the short time we've been in session."  Rose stared down at her desk miserably. She'd been waiting for one of her teachers (or worse, her  _parents_ to bring this up.  She could see her mother's disappointed smile already. 

"Sorry Professor." She bit her lip, staring intensely at the oak wood. 

"Your grades are exemplary. Most of the time, you are a model student. You are kind, caring and throw yourself into everything. There is no need to apologise for a small amount of rule breaking."  Professor Patil raised an eyebrow, as Rose looked up at her, cocking her head.

"No person can be perfect all of the time.  And I imagine there have been other factors affecting your behaviour this year at school, which, although not up to the high standard you have set yourself, is certainly higher than most other pupils in this school.  You also have to take into account the recent.. _relationships_ that have been developing around you, two of your closest friends dating is a change hard to accept. Throw in the addition of some meddling cousins, a confusing friendship and the stubborn streak you have, and no wonder you're having difficulties."  Rose blushed again, as The professor moved from behind her desk, coming to sit next to Rose. 

"When I was a few years older than you, my twin sister began to date one of my very closest friends.  It was hard, to find that balance.  But if she's truly your friend, you two will find it again.  If not, well, you're better off without her."  Professor Patil patted her arm, before moving away again, leaving Rose almost shell shocked. 

"I have decided to change partners in the class, as of Monday.  You are Mr Malfoy are currently sitting at the top, so I believe you will be best paired."   
Rose nodded slightly.

"I would also like to offer you the opportunity of tutoring some of my first year students. I do believe a select few of them will be as good as you with a little help." Rose smiled. 

"I would love to help, thank you."  

"You can go now Rose."  Professor Patil sat back down behind her desk, pulling a scroll of parchment in front of her, as Rose grabbed her satchel, and headed off towards the door.

"Oh and Rose?"  Professor Patil called out, and the girl turned back around.

"I would perhaps speak to our head girl.  I do believe she knows a thing or two about avoiding detentions." 

Grinning to herself as she walked out, (her mood  _greatly_ improved), Rose headed straight towards the head's dorms.  It was time for Molly to share her secrets.


	13. Changed

On paper, and in her day-to-day life, Molly Weasley was the ideal child; as head girl, with perfect grades, perfect references, high aspirations and the looks to top it all off, she was the perfect daughter, that Percy had always wanted. On paper. In fact, Molly-if she had chosen to be dramatic- could have been considered more of a rebel without a cause. Throughout the school day, and to those who ‘mattered’, Molly Weasley was charming, polite, innocent, perfect and stereotypically gorgeous. Those who knew her better knew she was only one of these things: gorgeous. A cupboard designed by herself supplied her with endless drinks, parties hosted in the heads dorms every weekend provided endless drama, and she was currently dating (though they were _not_ her boyfriends, as she was very quick to tell you) not one, but two ridiculously hot guys, both of whom were fighting over her as she sat in the middle, suitors approaching from all sides. Molly had managed to somehow find an insane balance in her life where she got to do whatever the hell she wanted, maintain a perfect image, and get away with it. And Rose wanted to know how.

She _needed_ to know how. She'd already managed to talk herself out of going five times.

Knocking slightly nervously on the door of  the heads dorms, it was only a second before the door swung open, revealing her cousin Molly. Though it had only been mere hours since Rose had last seen her, Molly had transformed from the perfect head girl, to her cousin. Her hair, was tied up high, an intricate web of pleats that ran round her head, leaving a few strands hanging down by her face.  Some silver streaks threaded through a few braids stood out to the rest of her dark, dark hair. Molly was a wiz at everything, including hair spells, especially considering these intricate pleats would be gone when it came time for her to address the prefects tomorrow morning, her hair pulled back in a much more _perfect_ way.  At her father’s protest, Molly had gotten her ears pierced in five places, and settled around the top of her right ear was her favourite possession; a gift, from her uncle Charlie. The dragon twisted itself around her ear, pacing up and down it as it hissed at Rose.

“Shut up Eduardo, it’s only Rose.” Molly commanded, and the dragon grumpily settled, curling up into the fold of her ear. As head girl, Molly wore the dragon round her wrist, or as a ring, very few knowing of the true nature of the unique piece of body adornment. Her piercings were easily disguised by a wave of her wand.

“Come on in Rosie.” Moll went back over to the couch, where she had been cuddled up in a blanket, shoving some study notes aside, offering Rose a seat under the warmth.

“What’s up Rosie-posie?” She questioned, smiling at her little cousin as she sighed.

“Ever since Dommie came back she’s been throwing around allegations and been messing things up for me!” She complained, as Molly smiled softly.

“So I’ve been getting more and more detentions lately, and Professor Patil suggested I came and talked to you last week. I figured maybe my life would settle down, and I wouldn’t have to but, it doesn’t seem as though it will. So I thought I should come to you.” Rose confessed, as Molly pouted slightly, her hair transforming slightly as she thought, lowering the pleats down. Molly’s ease and ability to do wandless magic had always amazed Rose.

“Why?” She questioned, tilting her head to the side, causing Eduardo to fall off his perch, having to beat his wings to clamber back onto her ear, growling slightly at her.

“Well, Molly, in case you haven’t noticed, you manage to do whatever you want-legal or not-without getting caught, and without fucking everything up. You impressively manage to lead a double life.” Rose stated basically, before feeling herself blush.

“And it’s not as though _I_ want to live a double life, I could just, maybe, _perhaps_ use a little guidance on how to be paper perfect just on _paper_. To let me actually live my life. So I’m not dictated by other people’s expectations.” Rose blethered, as Molly grinned, taking the hand of her younger cousin.

“I was wondering when you’d come to me.  All of the others, except maybe Lucy, they don’t have this problem.  So listen up. I’ll tell you what Victoire told me.”

*

“Hey.” Juliette gently placed down her books next to Rose’s at her table in the library, giving Rose, who was still thinking over Molly’s advice, a fright, causing her to drop her to drop her wand on the table, the clatter disturbing a few people. For a Friday afternoon, the library was surprisingly busy (it contained more than just Rose).

“Oh, hey.” Rose looked over at Juliette, smiling gently before she began to work away. Juliette opened up her books too, getting started. This was strange, for Rose. Though her and Juliette had been more friendly, especially considering both Elsie and Albus’ recent absence, until this year, Rose’s two friends had always been Elsie and Albus. This year had thrown who she considered close out the window. Of course, she had always been friendly with her dorm-mates, sharing secrets and hanging around together, but her closest friends had been Elsie and Albus. And now _they_ were each other’s everything. And, sadly, Scorpius had always been about, but she’d always either been avoiding him or protesting his presence. And now they were _friends_ , Rose decided that polite head nods were more than enough.

“Hey.” Rose was jerked out of her train of thought yet again to see Izzy and Scorpius standing by the table.

“Have you guys started Rohan’s essay yet? I’m soo stuck.” Izzy complained, flipping open her book as she flopped down on a chair, as Scorpius did the same, grinning over at Rose slightly.

“I haven’t, I’ve been too busy trying to finish the herbology assignment-Longbottom was mental to give us that.” Scorpius shook his head, his blonde hair flopping to the side slightly, but despite his complaint, Rose thought she could see a spark of excitement in his eyes. For some reason, Rose was always drawn to his eyes. He was probably over-expressive with them or something stupid like that. There was _bound_ to be a reason (that was obviously Malfoy’s fault) as to why his eyes were so darn expressive.

“Rose has finished both of those, haven’t you Rose?” Juliette supplied, and Rose nodded.

“Yeah, but I haven’t seen started on the Astronomy investigative report.” She sighed, as Izzy groaned, bashing her head off the desk, her hair going everywhere.

“I complete forgot about that! Merlin I’m screwed” She groaned, as Juliette nudged her, sticking out her tongue.

“Hey, you don’t need good grades to be a socialite.” She teased, as Scorpius stared at her in confusion, and Izzy, Rose and Juliette burst out laughing. Scorpius grinned easily.

“You do you.” He stated, a comment Rose thought most unlikely to come from him, as Izzy grinned.

“I don’t actually want to be a socialite, it was an article in Teen Witch Weekly, the ’ _rich kids everyone is talking about_ ’. Apparently Isabelle Zabinni loves tennis and ballroom dancing, and aspires to be a socialite or a model. Oh, and I was also on the ‘twenty most likely to get married before they’re twenty to an over twenties’ list.” Izzy burst out laughing, shaking her head, her blonde hair going everywhere, as Scorpius grinned back.

“The only way I can think they got hold of that bullshit was my grandmother, in some desperate attempt to find me a husband.” Izzy joked, rolling her eyes as she lazily twiddled her wand through her fingers.

“Well, you’d make a _great_ socialite. And you don’t need any _help_ finding a husband.” Scorpius grinned at her, laughing.

“Speaking of socializing, are you guys going to the hufflepuff party tonight?” Izzy questioned, and Rose shrugged.

“I’m undecided, it depends if you all are. I don’t want to go and be stuck next to Al and Elsie shagging all night.” Rose crumpled her nose.

“I don’t know if I want to go or not, tomorrow’s a Hogsmede day and I don’t want to go into town if it’s a Puff _puff_ party. Doesn’t bode well with whatever suitor my grandmother had set me up with.” Izzy pulled a face, as Scorpius shrugged.

“How bout we all skip it and hang out somewhere?” He suggested, and Rose smiled at him warmly. Friends hung out, right?

“How bout by the tree by the lake?” Rose suggested, as the other two girls grinned.

“Great plan!” Juliette announced brightly, slamming her books shut.

“I reckon we’ve all done enough work to deserve a break. Anyone want to hit up the kitchens?” She suggested brightly, as the four of them grinned.

The walk along the corridor was slightly bizarre to Rose; the corridors were empty, the younger years in classes and the older years either in class or hiding away in their dorms.

Juliette and Izzy walked in front of the two of them, arms linked tight, laughing about something that had happened in their runes class.

Rose and Scorpius were walking in an awkward silence; agreeing to be friends, meant being nice to each other. And Rose and Scorpius had never had anything nice to say to each other.

“It’s weird, right?” Scorpius asked, as Rose froze, staring at him slightly, as the top of his ears tinged.

“Albus and Elsie I mean. I didn’t even know they were that close.” Scorpius stated, drumming his fingers against his leg, awkwardly staring at the floor.

“So Al didn’t tell you about the two of them either?” Rose cried out indignantly, throwing her hands up in the air. _Those knobs!_ She had presumed that it had just been Elsie being a twat, and now it turns out that it was Al too.

“Wait, Elsie didn’t tell you?” Scorpius pulled a face Rose hadn’t seen before, that didn’t even remotely resemble his usual sneer.

“I guess our best friends are just as bad as each other.” Rose sighed, shrugging.

“I always reckoned they’d end up together, I just figured when they actually got together they’d say.” Scorpius sighed heavily, as Rose nodded.

“Merlin I know! I found out my cousin and my best friend were dating because they  heavy snogged in front of me and made euphemisms about her riding his dick.” Rose shuddered, as Scorpius laughed.

“What was it? _You don’t have expellarmus me girl to get my wand_ ” Scorpius joked, in a deadpan voice that made Rose shudder slightly.

 “ _You don’t have to say Lumos to turn me on_ ” Scorpius stated again, this time wriggling his eyebrows at Rose who burst out laughing.

“Stop!” Rose protested, as Scorpius continued to pout at her, and they made their way down the back stair case.

“Oh merlin no, I know. It was a quidditch one, right? Like _I have the fastest broomstick in all the land, want a ride?_ Nope? _Did you just cast a Petrificus totalus ‘cause I’m getting stiff?”_ Rose doubled over laughing, trying to remain straight faced as Scorpius threw an arm around her.

“ _Did you put skele-grow in my drink? Because I can feel a bone growing.”_ Scorpius paused to grin, as Rose begged him to stop, and Juliette and Izzy turned round to see what was going on.

“Or did he go with a classic, abuse our house name? Fuck, I can picture it now, Albus all straight faced, his hair flicked up, eying her up and down, _hey Elsie, you can slytherin to my bed anytime.”_ Rose fell apart with laughter, clinging onto Scorpius. Rose had always known he was quick-witted, he’d used it as a weapon against her so many times she couldn’t count. What she’d never experienced, was how funny Scorpius could be. That was when he wasn’t being a complete dick.

As they stepped through the portal to the kitchens, the house elves began to swarm, shouting out loudly about Miss Granger’s daughter being here, and them being glad to prepare _anything._

“You’re popular.” Izzy remarked, as the four took seats in the giant overstuffed armchairs that sat by the fire.

“They liked my mother.” She shrugged, as the house elves brought over a tray of food, cakes piled high on it next to four steaming cups of hot coco.

“I wish they liked _my_ mother.” Izzy remarked, sighing deeply as she picked up one of the cream cakes, gazing at it in adoration.

“Me too. How hard is it to get adopted by Hermione Granger?” Juliette joked, as Rose laughed slightly.

“Count me in. Would a Weasley be willing to adopt a Malfoy?” Scorpius questioned, raising an eyebrow and batting his lashes, as Rose laughed. The uneasy friendship they had maintained for a week or so seemed as though it could finally be developing into something more. Like a real friendship.

“My dad would probably have a heart attack. And my parents think two kids is enough. Though they might end up with a third if they keep going at it at the rate they do.” Rose crumpled her nose up, as the other three laughed.

“You better pray they don’t have another. My life has been changed since Eve came along. And not in a good way.” Juliette groaned slightly, still smiling softly.

“It’s not easy being the youngest either, especially when your older sister buys into all the betrothal shit your grandmother spouts.” Isabelle groaned as well, as Scorpius shrugged, laughing at the three of them as he picked up an Owl’s foot.

“I always wanted a little brother or sister. Reckoned it’d be easier than being Draco Malfoy’s sole son. But, it does mean that I get incredibly spoiled, as my limited amount of relatives have no one else to pour affections on. And one day I’ll be rich, as there are no more Malfoy heirs.” Scorpius joked slightly, before glancing down at his watch.

“Oh fuck, I better get going. Professor Flitwick will kill me if I’m late for charms again.” He sighed deeply, pulling himself up off the comfy chair.

“Yeah, we better get going to Herbology.” Juliette sighed, standing before offering a hand to Izzy, and then to Rose.

“I don’t think I’m going to go today.” Rose tilted her head, as Izzy furrowed her brow.

“You’re going to skip herbology?” She questioned, as Rose nodded, smiling to herself slightly.

“yup. If Professor Longbottom asks, just say you haven’t seen me. Everyone will just presume I’m sick, or got caught up studying anyway.” Rose smiled to herself slightly, as the others left, grinning to the house elves and thanking them, before she left the kitchens. Herbology last thing on a Friday had always been a waste of Rose’s time; they _always_ did work that she’d already done through the week. She grinned to herself as she headed through the abandoned corridors, up through the empty common room to her empty dorm room. She threw herself down onto the bed, picking up a detective novel from beside her. For a second she took herself back in time, to when Scorpius had leaned close into her, trying to figure out what Scorpius had meant, before expelling the thought. She buried herself in her novel, allowing the characters to overtake her. Friends didn’t think about other friends trying to kiss them, right?

Rose’s peace was not interrupted for almost four hours, and when it was, it was disrupted rather loudly, as the door was flung open rather violently.

“Oi Rose, did you just decide to skip Herbology?” Grace questioned, as she threw her bag onto her bed, followed by herself, her dark hair flipping as she did so.

“And dinner?” A grinning figure from behind her stuck her tongue out, her eyes glinting as Rose exclaimed.

“Spencer! I thought you guys weren’t back till Monday?” Rose grinned happily at her newly returned roommate, who shrugged happily, casually sitting down on her bed, as Rose finally noticed the pile of packed bags sitting in the corner. The term so far had been bizarre without the two Montgomery’s they were friends with.

“James was feeling better so she decided we had missed enough, and sent us back early. And the babies had begun this constant crying stage that we didn’t really want to stick around for.” Spencer grinned, flopping back on her bed that had been empty for far too long.

“So, what did I miss?” Spencer grinned wickedly, as Grace cackled.

“So, so much.”

“I can tell! I didn’t think that Rose had ever skipped a class in her life! And that’s definitely changed now.” Spencer raised an eyebrow, as Grace stared over at Rose.

“We were all convinced that you’d just fallen sick, until Izzy mentioned that she saw you last period.” Grace added, shaking her head.

“Enough talk about class, I want all the juicy details! Four poster?” Spencer suggested seriously, as both her and Grace leapt over onto Rose’s bed.

“There’s not been that much going on recently.” Rose rolled her eyes, and Grace shook her head.

“Ignore Rose. There’s been so so much! Albus and Elsie are finally together! Sort of!”

“No way!” Spencer exclaimed, bouncing up and down slightly.

“Yup, and Rose and Scorpius-well, why don’t you tell her about the library incident?”

Rose groaned.

“It wasn’t that big a thing, I accidentally spilt water over Scorpius, and he ended up sorta taking his shirt off. But not even really-” Rose shrugged, as Grace rolled her eyes, elbowing her.

“ _Not_ the library incident to which I was referring.” She raised her eyebrows, as Rose blushed slightly.

“Oh right, I, uh, sorta accidentally ended up engaging in a game of truth-or-dare-strip-chicken with him at the library.” Rose shrugged, as Spencer gasped.

“no way!” She exclaimed, as Grace laughed.

“That’s not even the worst part! They then got caught half naked by some prefects.” Grace laughed, as Spencer did too.

“I’d say both of those things are both pretty big developments. What else did I miss?” Spencer questioned eagerly, as Grace began to fill her in on everything. Rose stared in wonder at Grace as she listed off almost every single event that had occurred, Rose impressed by the other girl’s impeccable memory. Even Rose learned something.

“Have I missed the first game of the season yet?” Spencer questioned, as Rose shook her head.

“The first match is next weekend, Hufflepuff verses Slytherin, we’re playing the weekend after, and Jade simply refused to put anyone in your position.”

Spencer grinned happily at this.

“Thank Merlin. I tried training back home, cause Freddie plays professionally and so does Luke, but it was sorta hard to focus.” She admitted, shrugging slightly.

“I heard-“ Spencer began, staring at Rose,

“That you and Scorpius decided to become friends.” She tilted her head to the side, as Rose shrugged, inviting Rose to talk about it.

“yes, friends. That’s it.” She stated, as Spencer grinned.

“Okay.”

“How is, uh, Matt?” Spencer questioned, as Grace and Rose glanced between each other.

“We’ve not really seen him, he’s sorta been avoiding us we think.” Grace confessed, staring sadly down at her hands, not wanting to see how her best friend would react.

“Hey though, there’s a Puff party tonight! You could talk to him there. Figure things out. Or Imogen and John-the Hufflepuff seeker-they have a _thing_ ” Grace placed her hand on-top of her friend’s as he girl shrugged.

“Imogen and John?” She smiled brightly at them, brushing aside the matter of her ex-boyfriend, whose heart she’d accidentally crushed.

“yeah, they-“ Their conversation was cut short as  the door swung open, and the rest of their dorm mates came flooding in.

“Oh Rose, are you feeling better?” Elsie questioned as she dumped her bag by the bed.

“See you saw that Spence is back!” She exclaimed, going over and hugging the girl again, as both Spencer and Grace got off of Rose’s bed.

“You guys going to the puff party tonight?” Elsie questioned, as she changed out of her school robes, leaving them lying on a crumpled heap by her bed.

“Yeah, uh, john invited me.” Imogen said hesitantly, blushing slightly as she, in lesser words, confirmed her relationship with the Hufflepuff seeker.

“You game Spence?” Grace questioned, as Spencer questioned.

“Are you kidding? Since the beginning of term I’ve been stuck in a house where literally all anyone talked about was babies. I am in _desperate_ need of a social intervention.” Spencer laughed, as Maddie grinned.

“Me and Juliette will be there too.” Maddie announced, as Izzy and Rose exchanged a look.  
“Have you checked that with her?” Izzy questioned, as Maddie rolled her eyes.

“Why would I have to? She’s _my_ girlfriend.” Maddie rolled her eyes, as Spencer’s eyes light up.

“Speaking of relationship, Elsie, I heard that you and Al were…?” Spencer left her question hanging, as Elsie grinned.

“…No.” She shrugged, twirling slightly, continuing to get changed, taking off her shirt.

“Oh merlin Elsie!” Izzy exclaimed, as Elsie looked down, before quickly pulling her top over her head, to help disguise the approximately twenty love bites all over her chest.

“So you and Albus _are_ a thing then.” Spencer cocked, an eyebrow, as Elsie blushed, before avoiding answering the question they all knew the answer to.

“It’s almost puff party time! Why aren’t you getting ready Rose?” Elsie questioned, frowning at her friend. Rose opened her mouth to speak, before realising there was nothing she could say; she couldn’t tell Maddie that she was going out with Juliette, Juliette had to tell Maddie that she wasn’t going to the party, she couldn’t say that she was going out with Scorpius, _none of them would ever shut up about it_ , she couldn’t say she didn’t want to go because they’d nag her into going. Rose opened her mouth again, as everyone stared at her expectantly, Elsie beginning to cock a suggestive eyebrow.

“Is-“

“We’re having a chill night in, me and Rose. I have some serious destressing to do.” Izzy declared, rolling over to Rose’s bed.

“Plus she’s the only one here who reads the Detective Santerra novels and I _need_ to know if she thinks Rogelio and Lily would go as well together as I do.” Izzy laughed slightly, throwing herself back against the cushions.

“Okay.” Grace smiled warmly at the two of them as they began to talk about books, as around then their roommates got ready.

“We’re heading off now, be good you two.” Grace joked, coming over to hug them both.

“You guys be good too! Gracie I _know_ you miss Ethan but don’t hook up with him. He doesn’t deserve it, you are _far too_ good for him. Spence, look after her, and don’t worry too much about Matty. Elsie, please try and refrain from making children tonight, especially in public. Imogen, good luck.” Izzy waved to all their flatmates, before eventually rolling out of Rose’s bed.

“Shall we get ready?” She beamed happily, quickly waving her wand, all ready to go out.

“I wonder why Juliette hasn’t mentioned to Maddie that she’s not going tonight.” Izzy commented, gently brushing her hair as rose changed out of her t-shirt.

“I don’t know. Though, whatever they were fighting about in the corridor, it seemed pretty serious.” Rose shrugged as spun round, glad to see that Izzy was ready too.

“Got drinks?” Izzy questioned, as Rose shook her head.

“That’s the one stop we have to make.” Rose seemed to smile slightly, before grabbing her jacket and pulling it on.

 

“Rosie.” Molly grinned at her, from where the head’s dorm was lying slightly open, the several bottles and the smoke lingering in the room indicating that the two heads had been having their own party. A few of the people in the room peered out at them, most of them ignoring the two younger girls.

“Drinks, right? Help yourself to the cupboard. Enjoy your night.” Molly lazily grinned before floating back over to the couch where all her friends were gathered, as Rose lead Izzy over to Molly’s cupboard.

“Butterbeer, Vodka, Scotch, Firewhiskey.” Rose commanded, before opening the cupboard, the drinks she’d requested appearing in front of her.

“Grab some?” She suggested to Izzy, as she stared in amazement at the cupboard, before doing as she was asked.

“Bye Moll!” Rose called on the way out, as her cousin waved from over on the couch, Izzy staring intensely at the group as one girl lined up shots, as Molly tapped out her cigarette on the table.

“Woah.” Izzy stated, staring wide eyed at Rose.  
“That was perfect head girl Molly! Molly the head girl! Getting drunk and smoking?!” Izzy opened her mouth wide, as Rose grinned.

“Molly has a fascinating ability to be many people at once. To everyone in school she’s little Miss Perfect Molly Weasley, to her friends she’s a bit of a wild kid, and to our family she’s perfect. The only thing that’s constant is her personality.” Rose grinned, as they ducked behind a statue to avoid some prefects, before slipping out of the large doors, heading off down the hill.

“Hey” Juliette cheered, clinking her bottle with Scorpius, who grinned at the two of them.

“We brought resources.” Rose declared, holding up the bottle of firewhiskey and scotch she had in her hands, as Izzy sat down the bottle of Vodka and the butterbeer.

“So what, you can’t go to your suitor after going to a puff puff party but you can hungover?” Scorpius questioned, as Izzy tapped her head.

“Ah see, if I go after a puff puff party they’ll smell it off me, and report back to my grandmother. If I go hungover they’ll just presume I’m a horribly boring person. It’s a win-win you see.” Izzy laughed, as did Rose, before she pulled one of the butterbeers out of the crate, handing one to Rose and Scorpius. Juliette was already drinking from a bottle of BBB.

The three of them gently cracked off the bottle lids, staring out over the lack, at the quietness of Hogwarts. It was only eight o’clock at night, but apparently no one had ventured down to the lake tonight. Just them.

“So we know why _I_ don’t want to go to the Puff Puff party, why don’t you three?” Izzy questioned, downing a large portion of her drink.

“My family has been really annoying lately. And I didn’t want to have to deal with them all. Or with everyone _constantly_ bugging me about-.” Rose cut herself off, blushing slightly,

“Bugging me about romance.” She finished lamely, before chugging from her bottle as Izzy supressed a laugh.

“Scorpius?” Izzy questioned, reaching out for another bottle, as Rose did the same. Rose thought about perhaps stopping to question the rate they were drinking them at, but instead dismissed the thought. _Just_ because she was Hermione Granger’s daughter didn’t mean she had to be sensible all the time.

“Elsie’s always round now, so I couldn’t just hang around Al, and, uh, I’m avoiding Kirsten McLaggen. She thinks we’re destined to be together for some reason. Plus I prefer alcohol to puff.” Scorpius shrugged as though none of it mattered, but Rose had a feeling that he was holding something back. It was maybe the way his lip, at the right corner seemed to curve, be drawn in slightly, his easy smile seeming uneasily forced. It was so small, Rose was sure she was imagining it. She didn’t know him _that_ well, after all. She was probably just being dramatic.

“Juliette?” Scorpius prompted, reaching out for another Butterbeer.

“Prepare yourself for the teenage cliché I am: I’m avoiding my girlfriend” Juliette laughed, but by the way she was downing her drink Rose _knew_ it wasn’t really a laughing matter.

“Trouble in paradise?” Scorpius questioned, cocking his head slightly, as Juliette sighed.

“Nothing I’m drunk enough to talk about. Yet.” Juliette joked, as Izzy laughed slightly.

“Shots?” Rose suggested, as Scorpius grinned at her, and she broke open the seal of the bottle of firewhiskey, taking a large swig of the strong liquid. She held back a grimace as she swallowed, trying not to cough as it burned its way down the back of her throat, before holding the bottle out to Scorpius, who took it off her, while staring at her. Scorpius’ eyes burned into hers almost as strongly as the firewhiskey had burned down her throat, and was now burning down his. He breathed sharply as he passed the bottle onto Izzy, who took a swig, before coughing away.

“Merlin’s beard, _how_ did you guys drink that straight?” She spluttered, as Juliette dropped an empty bottle of butterbeer on top of her growing pile, and Izzy passed her the bottle, Juliette taking a swig.

“Practice.” Rose grimaced, as Juliette cocked her head.

“You’ve had a _lot_.” Juliette remarked, laughing slightly as Rose blushed, a trait she’d inherited from her father.

“Has she?” Scorpius asked, puzzled, as Izzy laughed as well.

“I know she has. It was, what, every Friday night in fourth year?” Izzy laughed, as Rose rolled her eyes.

“Okay I was not _that_ bad!” Rose protested, as Scorpius grinned.

“I dunno Rosie, summer  there you were hanging round a bottle every night.” Scorpius teased, as Rose rolled her eyes, Scorpius taking another swig out of the bottle.

“You drank way more than me! Remember how many times you had to stay over at Al’s so your parents didn’t find out? How many times all of you passed out?” Rose stuck out her tongue, as Scorpius laughed.

“You and Lysander did always seem to be the last two standing. What did you guys do after we all left?” Scorpius questioned, shifting further into the circle they’d formed, his knee bashing off of Rose’s. He must have been cold because Rose swore it had sent a tingle up her spine.

“Nothing worth noting.” She lied, noticing the slight flush alcohol had brought to Malfoy’s usually pale face, and how it contrasted nicely with his eyes. Noticing his _skin tone_ didn’t mean she like him though. It meant she paid attention.

“Really? Me and Al had our own theories. Some more notable than others.” Scorpius winked at her, laughing slightly, as Rose raised her eyebrow.

“Maybe if we’re the last two standing tonight I’ll let you in on the secret.” Rose whispered, as Scorpius brought his head in, closer to hers, their foreheads resting on each other’s, before the silence was broken by a voice, yelling.

“Roxanne Weasley, you listen to me right now!” Rose saw her cousin storm across the other side of the lake, being closely followed by a girl Rose recognised as Lewis Montgomery, the twin of her roommate, as Rose pulled her face away from Malfoy’s. She was sure there was some sort of _logical_ reason why they’d been sitting so close, she just couldn’t think of it now.

She glanced over at Izzy, who was too busy smirking back at her, and Juliette, who was laying out shot glasses, the slight edge her smile having to it telling Rose that neither of them had missed whatever had just happened with Malfoy.

“You owe me more than this!” They heard Lewis yell from the other side of the lake.

“I figured some shots were in order. I mean, when are they not?” Juliette grinned as she poured auburn liquid into each of them, handing them out.

“It’s only a little bit classier than drinking straight from the bottle. Which I am not opposed to, at all.”

“Juliette, are you just here for the drinks?” Izzy laughed, as Juliette glanced at the girl from where she was sitting.

“Maybe I like the company.” She commented, as Scorpius downed a shot, Rose following suit.

“Pour me another Juliette?” He questioned, and the girl shrugged, tossing some of her dark hair over her shoulder.

“Me too.” Rose spoke before she had even thought. She had things to do tomorrow, could she really afford to get drunk?

“You trying to compete with me Weasley?” Scorpius demanded, his fingers itching across the ground to get to the drinks.

Rose was surprised by his accusation. Were they not friends?

However, she was more surprised by her reaction.

Especially when she felt her head tilt to the side.

And when her top fell down slightly, showing a little more skin than Rose normally would, and she didn’t pull it back up.

And when she made eye contact with Malfoy, and her face drew into a smirk, one she’d seen on many family members but had never quite perfected herself.

She surprised herself even more however, when she drawled out-

“If I was, _what_ would _you_ do about it Scorp?” Before he leaned in close, so close to her, staring at her lips.


	14. Ease

“Beat you.” Scorpius whispered, the warmth of his breath condensing on her face, yet somehow Rose was not repulsed by it. She hated it when Hugo breathed even vaguely near her, and she was known to react rather explosively to it (her aunt Ginny had also taught her the bat bogey hex, and she was _more_ than happy to use it). It must be to do with what they were drinking, Rose decided. She didn’t mind because she wanted to _drink,_ not because she wanted _him_.  She reached out one hand, grabbing one of the drinks.

“Bring it on.” She stated, downing it whole, as Scorpius dove to get his.

“Are you feeling the sexual tension here?” Izzy whispered to Juliette, who jumped slightly.

“Between Rose and Scorpius. I’m half concerned they’ll start boning in a minute.” Izzy joked, as Juliette laughed.

“You two need to get a room!” Juliette raised her eyebrows, as Rose rolled her eyes.

“Merlin, now _you’re_ starting to sound like my family.” She complained, before freezing up, realising what she’d said, the look of fear in her eyes highlighting to the girls that they needed to cover it up. Scorpius hadn’t missed it either, pausing with his mouth open, the glimmer in his eyes hinting that he was going to say something.

“How’s Maddie Juliette? What’s going on with you two?” Izzy questioned, as Rose and Scorpius redirected their attention towards Juliette, Izzy shooting a quick apologetic look to her.

“I know you guys had a fight, and I’m so sorry, I was told to write up the report on it.” Rose pulled a face, as Juliette shook her head.

“It’s alright, I shouldn’t have been fighting with her.” Juliette took a large swig out of her bottle, groaning.

“More shots?”

 

 

“I am so sick and tired of _everything_.” Juliette complained, sighing loudly.

The sun had finished going down, maybe an hour ago, a faint orange glow coming from the castle. Rose dished out the last four butterbeers in the crate, the four of them cracking open their bottles.

“Of everything?” Izzy raised her eyebrows.

“Surely Maddie’s not _that_ bad.” She teased, laughing to herself, as Juliette smiled, laughing slightly, Rose grinning at her two friends.

“Huh?” Scorpius furrowed his brows. Usually, he was astutely observant; picking up on signs that even Rose herself couldn’t read, sometimes. But for some reason, he hadn’t quite caught up in the conversation. If Rose hadn’t known better she would have said he could have been distracted by her. But this was real life and she wasn’t Elizabeth Bennet and he wasn’t Mr Darcy, she wasn’t Belle and he wasn’t her beast (nor was he belle and she his beast). They were Scorpius and Rose. Malfoy and Weasley. Uneasy friends. Nothing more, nothing less. This wasn’t some sort of _romantic comedy_.

“She’s good when she’s good, awful when she isn’t. And she’s _so_ bad at returning!” Juliette complained, as Izzy shook her head.

“I had that with Blair. He was _great_ when he actually bothered, but most of the time he couldn’t be bothered, and refused to do me too.” Izzy rolled her eyes at the mention of her ex.

“If he doesn’t do you the first time, there shouldn’t be a second.” Rose shook her head. The one thing that Rose was glad Dominique had installed in her was that if a guy-or a girl-wasn’t willing to go there for her, she shouldn’t go there for him. ‘You get what you give’ she’d always say, before grinning and tossing her blonde hair.

“Merlin I am _so_ glad I’m gay. Honestly, if a guy whipped his dick out in front of me I’d be so confused. What do you even do with it?” Juliette laughed, as Izzy and Rose giggled.

“Hey, it’s _just_ as confusing for guys with girls. They want to make sure she’s having a good time, but most guys don’t have a vagina to practice on.” Scorpius pointed out, cracking open and taking a swig of the bottle of scotch.

“What, had some complaints Malfoy?” Rose teased, snatching the bottle off of him. Before they had been friends he would have been severally irritated by this movement. However he just smiled his uneasy smile, staring straight back at her.

“No one’s ever complained. A few have begged, yes. But no complaints.” He smirked again, as Rose rolled her eyes.

“they were probably struggling to get out words as to how bad you were.”

“Oh trust me, _none_ of them said that. Quite the opposite in fact” Malfoy threw a wink at Rose.

“I can prove it to you.” He raised his eyebrows, as Rose rolled her eyes and looked away from him, choosing instead to look over at Juliette and Izzy, who were sharing the bottle of vodka much in the fashion she and Scorpius were sharing the scotch.

“So what’s been going on with you and Maddie Juliette? You had a big fight and you’ve been hanging around waiting for her a lot these days.” Rose pointed out as Izzy reached across taking the girl’s hand.

“Circe knows we can’t judge, especially considering none of us have had a successful relationship, what, ever?” Izzy sighed loudly again, as Juliette exhaled slowly, toying with an empty bottle of butterbeer near her.

“I caught Maddie and Thomas Tentren. Together. Having sex.” Juliette sighed, as Izzy audibly gasped, and Rose and Scorpius’ mouths dropped open.

“She cheated on you?” Rose questioned, as Juliette looked out across the lake, avoiding all of their eye contact.

“She says she didn’t cheat. That I knew going in she was bisexual, and that that meant that she was _obviously_ going to want to get with guys too. Apparently she’d been with a few different guys since the start.” Juliette sighed again, as Izzy spoke up.

“So you guys have broken up?” She questioned, and Juliette shook her head.

“I guess she didn’t really do anything wrong. And the things she was saying, it was sorta my fault.” Juliette said quietly, before Scorpius spoke up.

“Sorry Jetta, but that is complete and utter bullshit. Just because she’s bisexual does _not_ mean she can cheat on you. It’s a shitty excuse. And you deserve someone much, much better than that fucking idiot. And it is _definitely not your fault_. It’s hers. She’s trying to blame other things, her sexuality, you, for her mistakes and her faults. You deserve someone way better than her.” He stated bluntly, as Rose nodded to agreement.

“It’s weird for me to agree with Scorpius, but he’s right. You deserve to be treated better.” Rose replied fiercely, edging over to hug her friend, as Izzy moved closer just the same.

“What are you going to do?” Izzy questioned softly, running her thumb around in circles on Juliette’s hand.

“I don’t know what I _can_ do. I tried to tell her she, she hurt me, and I tried to tell her that I couldn’t do it anymore, but she just began to talk and suddenly it felt like my fault.” Juliette sniffed slightly, as Rose wrapped and arm round her friend.

“Her cheating is _not_ your fault.”

“I don’t want us to be over.” Juliette choked slightly, and they all sat in silence for a few minutes, before Scorpius jumped (it was really more of a stagger) up.

“Let’s go skinning dipping.” He suggested, his eyes twinkling deviously, as the three girls looked up at him.

“Come on. We’re only going to be young once, we’re never going to live this moment again. So we can either sit around, or we can make the most of it. All our troubles will be waiting for us when we get back.” Scorpius replied, raising his eyebrows.

“Last one in the water has to use a shitty pick up line on someone!” He yelled, whipping off his shirt and beginning the short distance to the water, his muscles glimmering in the pale moonlight, him falling over as he raced to take off his trousers, leaving them discarded halfway between the tree and the lake, throwing his shoes back towards him.

“You guys game?” Izzy glanced at Rose, before both of them glanced at Juliette.

“I’m not gonna be last!” she yelled, spurring herself forward, kicking off her shoes, Izzy following her closely.

 

Rose glanced back at the trail of clothes the four of them had left behind, laughing to herself about the absurdity of the situation. Scorpius, who’d brought the bottle of firewhiskey they were about to drink, ripped the lid off with his teeth, as Izzy began to splash Juliette, Scorpius sending waves towards them lazily with a flick of a hand, the two girls laughing loudly about underwater sex, relaying stories (‘Merlin, Nathaniel Princeton, a complete pretentious _twat_ , but his parents had a heated pool, and _oh my_ ’ ‘There are _so_ many good uses for the bubble jets in the prefects bathroom’). He offered his bottle to Rose, who gladly accepted.

“Rosie’s last!” He declared cheerfully, grinning as she frowned.

“I am not! Izzy was the last one in by _far_!” she glared back at Scorpius slightly, however there was no anger in it. Points that they would have previously made aggressively, along with threats to one another’s life were now made in a different tone, one that Rose could not quite pinpoint.

“It was skinny dipping Miss Weasley, and I hate to point out that you are not in fact naked yet.” Scorpius grinned, towering over her, swaying slightly, his blonde hair glimmering in the moonlight, both a combination of the lake water and the light colour. Just a few yards away from them, Izzy and Juliette were yelling something at the top of their voices, both laughing hysterically.

“So Malfoy, this really was just all a ploy to get me naked?” Rose teased, as Scorpius edged closer to her still. She knew she should move back. Sensible girls like her didn’t go skinny dipping with boys while drunk. But this wasn’t a boy, this was Malfoy, and just maybe tonight Rose didn’t want to be sensible. And even if she did, Malfoy had challenged her, and she wasn’t one to back down from a competition. It wasn’t even about Malfoy; it was about the principle. At least that’s what Rose told herself, as she reached behind her back, unclipping the back of her bra, before gently slipping it off, holding it up for Malfoy to see. She was under water, at least up until her neck. It wasn’t as though he could _really_ see anything, so to prove a point, what was the harm? She held the bra up higher, as Izzy and Juliette cheered, and Rose sent it whizzing towards the shore, where it dropped down somewhere amid her other clothes.

Next to her, Izzy had stolen the bottle of firewhiskey out of her hand, and was chugging on it hard. She passed it to Juliette, before the two of them began to splash around again, chatting intensely about their ‘failed’ relationships, as Izzy recounted the stories of her suitors, with a commentary that could only be given while drunk (some of which, Rose was quite happy she wouldn’t remember).

Rose felt Scorpius’ presence, despite the fact he wasn’t touching her.

“Rosie, you’re still last.” He sounded almost breathless, a side effect of the cold water of the lake Rose was sure.

“Oh really Scorpius? How?” Rose questioned, cocking one eyebrow as she felt Scorpius’ hands move towards her waist, and she once again surprised herself by not flinching away from him. In previous weeks had his sheet of parchment been near enough hers, a third wizarding war could have easily broken out, if it had not been for the deterrent nature of Albus and Elsie.

“Maybe you can help me.” Rose murmured, moving closer towards Scorpius,guiding him to the sides of her underwear. Her hands clasped around his writs as he gently slid his thumbs into the side of her underwear, running his fingers along it slightly. She let go before he began to pull them down, his fingers grazing her thigh, his body hunched over hers slightly. They weren’t touching in any other way, and weren’t at all when Scorpius brought his hands up, one clenching her underwear, as he sent it whizzing across the lake towards their clothes. Rose stared at him for a second, fully realising what had actually just happened. But that was tomorrow’s problem. Not todays. Rose grinned to herself, and began joining in on the screamed version of some old Celestle Warback tune, rejoicing in the company of her friends. Scorpius had joined in too, and Rose was shocked once again to see a side of him she hadn’t. She had always thought of Scorpius Malfoy as very prim and proper, not the most likely character to be jumping around naked in a lake, while off his face drunk, singing along very loudly and badly to ‘Baby, baby, baby bewitch me’ at four o’clock in the morning. But then again, neither was she.

“Scorpius?” Rose questioned, clinging onto his shoulder, her chin resting on it as he stared round into her eyes, both of their hair now soaking, hanging down by their faces.

“Yes Rose?” He questioned, as Rose pulled his face in towards hers, dodging to move to his ear at the last minute.

“I’d love to show you how I swish and flick, if you know what I mean”


	15. Oddity

The only thing Rose felt good about the next morning when she woke, was the fact that her debt to Malfoy and Izzy and Juliette had been fulfilled. At least she didn’t have _that_ hanging over her head, she thought to herself, sighing slightly. Though, really, it was the least of her worries. Her _horrific_ headache, being overly friendly with Malfoy, and the horror of the fact she would have to deal with her family today.

“What a good night.” Izzy has groaned, reaching over to grab her skirt as she stretched out, staring wearily up at the sun.  
“You can say that again.” Juliette joked, before promptly turning over and throwing up, coughing slightly as she did so.

“Oh merlin.” Rose swore, as she reached out to grab her top, that she’d discarded far too easily last night. Luckily, someone had summoned blankets, otherwise they all would have been freezing, partially dressed and soaked in lake water, sleeping out in the open in _Scotland_. Rose reached round to pull back Juliette’s hair, as she threw up some more. Rose averted her eyes from Juliette, knowing that if she saw the sick _she_ would throw up too, choosing instead to look over at Scorpius, who had been sleeping near her, a crinkled line down his face showing the awkward position he’d slept in, next to her, and the mess of his hair proving to Rose that he _must_ use some sort of hair charm.  Rose continued to stare at him, before realising that the crease in his face was due to sleeping on his jeans, and the fact _she_ was wearing his shirt meant that he could not be wearing much. She shuddered slightly at the thought, before turning over to Izzy, who was rubbing Juliette’s back next to her.

“My head….” Scorpius murmmered, dramatically rubbing his eyes, before running a hand through his hair. He reached out to grab his jeans, his hand brushing past Rose’s thy and she was suddenly painfully aware of just where his hand had been last night.

“Fuck!” He muttered, pressing a hand against his head as he looked at his watch.

“What?” Izzy questioned, as Scorpius hurried to gather together his things, vanishing all the bottles with a flick of his wand

“The Gryffindor quidditch team-or at least what’s _left_ of it-are going to jog round the lake, any minute. And considering Rosie is related to half the team, and the players are unrivalled gossips, the four of us lying here all night… I trust I’ll see you all at Hogsmede? Keep the shirt Rosie.” Scorpius spoke quickly, smiling at them before frowning at Juliette.

“The slytherin password this year is Snakey McSnakeface, just incase Jul doesn’t get any better…” He began to back away, as Juliette threw up once again, and Scorpius began to jog away, pulling a hoodie over his head.

“Oh dear. I think we might need to take her to her dorm. You don’t have any morning after potions on you do you?” Izzy questioned Rose, as she nodded, the two girls beginning to get fully dressed, Rose keeping on Malfoy’s shirt for ease.

“Here.” Rose dug her hand deep into the pocket of her jeans, bringing out a few small vials.

“An anti-sickness potion, an anti-hangover potion, a sleepless potion and a rehydration potion. Usually I find that combined, this works. I have some more back in the dorm for me and you.” Rose smiled friendly, before Juliette smiled weakly from her position lying in the grass.

“Thanks Rose.” She groaned, as she downed the few vials, grimancing at the awful taste.

“We’ll walk you back to your dorm.” Izzy pulled a face, before helping Juliette-who’d gotten dressed last night, up to her feet, flinging an arm round her, Rose doing the same. At the same time, the Gryffindor Quidditch team jogged past. Rose blushed slightly, thinking of the absolute _state_ she must be, dreading to see her cousins-luckily, it was only Lily who noticed-James was far too into the jog, yelling to his teammates, and Roxy was nowhere to be seen. That didn’t stop Lily from smirking at her though. Especially considering Rose was wearing Scorpius’ top over her jeans.

“Thanks guys.” Juliette muttered, as Rose saw the potion begin to take effect. It usually happened pretty quickly. Rose had taken a predrink potion Molly had concocted, letting her sleep off her hangover, mostly.

“It’s fine. What are friends for? Other than to bitch about exes with.” Rose grinned sweetly, as they struggled up the hill to the castle, James yelling somewhere in the distance.

“Is that was Scorpius is doing with you? Helping you forget a shitty ex?” Izzy questioned, tilting her head as Rose felt herself blush.

“Me and Scorpius are just friends.” She supplied, as Izzy nodded.

“Okay, I was, uh, just wondering, because he-“

“-took off my underwear last night? Did that actually happen?” Rose questioned, blushing slightly as Izzy nodded, the three girls bursting out into hysterical giggles, trying to silence themselves before they got caught, laughing at the stupidity that was last night. The three girls hadn’t been super close before; but now Rose felt as though she’d known them forever.

“No, uh, nothing happened, apart from that moment of weirdness. We didn’t even kiss or anything, it was just like some weird, over-friendly type gesture. It was so bizarre.” Rose shook her heads as they descended down the stairs, and Izzy vanished a bit of sick from Juliette’s hair. They paused slightly at the edge of the corridor, letting some girls sneak past them, before following.

“The sleepless potion makes you feel awake, right?” Izzy questioned, as Rose nodded.

“It makes you feel awake for twelve hours. If you take it more than three times in a row, it has some pretty fucking nasty side effects.” Rose informed her, pulling a horrified face, as Izzy shook her head.

“How do you even know that? It’s not in any potions we’ve ever studied.” Izzy remarked, staring with amazement at Rose.

“Sadly, through personal experience.”

“And because Rose knows everything, including how to cure a hangover. Thanks.” Juliette grinned, standing up slightly straighter, brushing her hair out of her face. Rose had always been amazed by the short working times of the three potions combined.  Molly had initially thought it up, but Rose had been on the front line for potion testing.

“Just don’t tell anyone I told you. Sleepless and hydration potions take _forever_ to brew, and the process is so complicated.” Rose complained, as Izzy and Juliette laughed. Despite the fact Juliette didn’t need held up any more, the three girls still had their arms round each other’s necks and waists. There was something about getting pissed that brought people together.

“Just please tell me that you have some left in our dorm?” Izzy pleaded, fluttering her eyelashes.

“I may _want_ to put off this suitor, but I also want him to go back to his friends and tell him how hot I was. And to be hot, I need to be tastefully disinterested. And I need to get rid of this _god awful_ hair dye, I can’t believe Grace didn’t realise it was _blonde_. I look like a _fool_. That’s the last time I ever let her dye anything.” Izzy flounced slightly dramatically, as Rose laughed, and Juliette leaned against her common room entrance.

“See you guys in Hogsmede later? I’ll be down with Maddie, so I could use an escape.” Juliette joked, as Izzy nodded.

“Yeah, sure. Wait, Shit! Victoire and Teddy are coming!” Rose exclaimed, glancing at her watch.

“Izzy I may just have to fight you for the shower first. Bye Juliette!” Rose called out,  setting off at a fast pace towards the Ravenclaw tower, Izzy following suit.


	16. Disruption

“It’s a shock. A complete and utter shock.”

“I don’t think anyone would’ve expected it. _Could’ve_ expected it.”

“It was so out of the blue!”  
“One of them _must_ have been imperius-ed.”

“Or they must both be crazy. Maybe we’re all crazy?”

“Can we _really_ trust it though?”

“are we sure that’s what happened? Could it be mistaken?”

“I really, really, _really_ don’t think this is right.”

“Guys.” Molly stated calmly, illuminating her wand in her face, lighting the small space they’d been standing in in the dark.

“The betting board _says_ that Rose and Scorpius are friends. _They’re friends_. It’s not _that_ big a deal.” Molly shook her head.

“It’s a bloody big deal! Me and Elsie had been trying to get them to be friends for five years! We never thought it was possible!” Albus complained loudly, his voice echoing out.

“shh!”

“Shut it Albus!”

“you tosser keep it down!”

They hissed angrily in reply.

“ _Sorry_ drama queens. I’m just saying, _something_ must have changed.” He defended himself.

“You and Elsie haven’t been around. Maybe they _are_ better off without you.” Roxy commented bitterly, as Albus ignored her.

“Are we _really_ sure they’re in love?” He questioned, furrowing his brow.

“Yes I am certain. Do you think I would have started this whole thing off if I wasn’t?” Dominique demanded, before realising a string of French swears.

“It’s so unexpected I think we should discount it.” James stated.

“We _can’t_ discount it, it’ll mess up the spell.” Molly sounded exasperated, rolling her eyes at the rest of them.

“Well no-one bloody well guessed it did they?” James groaned again, as Molly replied.

“Actually, they did. And we all owe Louis five galleons each.” She stated, the small clink indicating that she’d just given him hers.

“What the hell!”  
“He _must_ have cheated!”

“Bull shit! I don’t believe it.”

“He must have charmed the board”

“He was the one to imperius one of them, I know it!”  
“I don’t think it really counts.”  
“he must-“

“I won. Give me my money.” Louis commanded, as the cousins groaned collectively as they exchanged coins.

“Is it really bad that they’re friends?” Lucy questioned, as James laughed.

“Oh poor sweet, innocent little Lucy. It’s the bloody _worst_.”

“Um, no, it’s not. Usually friends is a gateway.”

“No it isn’t.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it’s _not_.”

“How exactly are Rose and Scorpius going to hate fuck if they don’t hate each other?”

The door swung open, hitting Hugo who yelped ‘owch!’, a narrow beam of light illuminating their faces.

“Hugo? What the fuck were you doing in the cupboard? _In the dark?_ James, Fred, Al? What the _fuck_ you guys?” Rose questioned angrily, as she came barging in, her red hair flailing about around her.

“Oh, we were just looking to see if there was any stock, Hugo had cast _Lumos_ but dropped his wand when you hit him with the door.” Molly smiled sweetly before beginning to usher her cousins out.

“I told you there would be nothing new in!” She laughed, shaking her head, confidently marching out of the cupboard, their cousins trailing behind her. Lily and Lucy exchanged a glance. _When the fuck did Molly become so good at lying_? They all knew she wasn’t the perfect girl she pretended to be, but this year it seemed like a whole new Molly.

“Teddy and Victoire should be arriving soon, they’re going to disapparate and find us in the village.” Molly announced, parading through the back of the shop, avoiding the kerfuffle and noise of the front of the store, where Hogwarts students were desperately trying to get their hands on Weasley’s Wizard Wheeze’s products. As the main store room was located on the third level, and had a balcony hanging over the main shop floor, they could see almost everyone in the shop, which, mainly, was Hogwarts students.

“In that case, can and Lily hit up honeydukes and get back to you?” Lucy fluttered her eyelashes as Molly nodded affirmatively, and Lucy dragged Lily off, Hugo speeding after them, complaining about the fact he’d been left behind.

“Albus, Rosie, Roxy, why don’t the three of you go reserve us a booth in the Three Broomsticks?” Molly suggested, as Rose and Roxy glanced at each other.

“Yeah sure, come on.” Albus waved a hand, slouching slightly, as Rose and Roxy trailed after him slightly, Roxy chucking the ball she’d been throwing about to Fred, shoving her snitch into the pocket of her jacket. Beside them, James rushed toward the balcony, chuckling darkly to himself.

“James?” Molly questioned, before there was yelp in the crowd, Sofia Henderson glaring up at them, rubbing her arm where James had hit her with a ball.

“Don’t sell her anything Max!” James called out to the man behind the till, as he saluted in response, the girl glaring up at James, shooting a stinging hex up towards him, it being deflected by the permeant shield charm the shop contained.

“Haha!” James mocked, and the girl looked almost murderous.

“Ignore James Max! _He’s_ actually going to take whatever she wants to buy out of his Wheezes allowance for the month.” Molly announced, Sofia’s glare turning  into a wide grin as Max yelled back.

“Sure thing Molls!” He smiled eagerly, before going back to serving customers.

“What the _fuck_ Molly?” James groaned as Dominique laughed at him.

“You were being rude to poor Sofia. She’s so nice!” Molly declared, furrowing her brow at James slightly, who stropped life a seven year old.

“She’s my _prank nemesis!”_ He whined, as though that would make a difference.

“Well you can _talk_ to Maxie…” Molly cocked an eyebrow, as James dramatically rolled his eyes, throwing his head and arms down onto the nearby barrier.

“We _all_ know that _Maxie_ will ignore whatever I say, and do what you want, because he wants _you_ to be Mrs Max Spinnet! It’s not _my_ fault he wants to shag you!” James complained again, as Molly rolled her eyes.

“Quit being _so_ dramatic James. Sofia is nice. She doesn’t deserve that. Let’s head out to the street, I imagine Toire and Ted are wandering around here somewhere.” Molly instructed, grinning slyly at James who groaned again, marching out the shop.

 “Jamie if she couldn’t get her hands on Weasely’s products then the competition between you two would’ve been unfair. Besides, she would have just gone to Zonkos, and now you know all the products she bought.” Molly grinned at James, who’s sulk turned into a sly smile.

“Molly you fantastic little fucker!” James yelled, enthusiastically punching the air as beside him Fred rolled his eyes .

“Can you focus on your weird _revenge_ later James? We’ve got shit to plan.” Fred scuffed, rolling his eyes. As from down the Hogwarts student crowded street, they could see the perfect couple; Teddy and Victoire. An oxymoron. Teddy worked at the prophet; Victoire was an unspeakable. Teddy was goofy, bold, outstanding; Victoire was traditionally perfect. The only way that they could be truly alike was their beauty; they were both astonishing. They’d been best friends as they’d grown up, and that had developed into something more. They’d gotten married last year.

“Victoire. Teddy!” Molly cheered enthusiastically, going up to hug Victoire who smiled happily, hugging the girl back.

“James, Fred, Dom.” Teddy grinned, engulfing the three of them in a hug. Teddy thought of all Victoire’s cousins as his own, maybe even more of siblings. Having very little family himself, and living with Harry meant that he was practically family. Not that that had stopped the girls from crushing on him when they were younger.

They headed toward the Three Brooksticks, all talking excitedly about everything that had been going on, Molly and Victoire talking about spells, as James and Freddie filled Teddy in on their latest pranks.

 “How are you all getting on in school?” Victoire questioned, as Hugo snorted.

“Some of us are getting on better than others.” He stated cryptically, as Lucy rolled her eyes.

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean Hugo?” She questioned, as the door to the pub chimed, and Molly anxiously nibbled on her fingers, a visible change in her posture indicating something was wrong as she whispered to Victoire. Dominique saw this and sighed, downing her drink almost in one, as Lily stared across the pub, before smirking to herself and slipping out of her seat.

“Wow, look who it is!” she chirped, as she disappeared into the smoke and fog…


	17. Reveal

“That was the most awkward trip of my life.” Rose sighed as she threw back a butterbeer, downing it quickly.

 

“I’ll agree with that. Maddie would not stop talking. Seriously. She just kept going, and going, and going.” Juliette groaned.

  
“Mine wasn’t too bad. The guy was hot, at least. He was full of himself, but he was a mighty good kisser.” Izzy smirked slightly.

 

  
“I had to sit for thirty minutes with Roxy and Albus. Al thought he’d done _nothing_ wrong, despite the fact he ditched us completely. And Roxy kept on making snide comments about it! It was _hell_.”

“Maddie  just kept talking and talking and talking. And she kept telling me that we were _both to blame_ and that we had _started anew._ You know what she didn’t tell me? That she’s fucked half the hufflepuff quidditch team.” 

“he was actually hot! We rented a room. I had a _great_ time, until _he_ decided that that meant we were dating! He told me he loved me! We had literally _just_ met. I was like, boy, _just_ because I gave you head in the alley outside three cauldrons does _not_ mean I want to see you again!”

 

  
“And Teddy and Victoire! They’re _great_ , but everyone kept teasing me,-and then Molly and Victoire disappeared and Dominique got mad and _Elsie_ came in, and Lily spotted her and went to fetch her, and she was like ‘oh you know who I just saw? _Scorpius_ ’ The _one person I didn’t want to see_!”

“So then we bashed into Thomas O’Malley, who suggested we had a threesome! And Maddie didn’t even say _no!_ She just looked at me suggestively! I had to be like _oh hell no_!”

“And then he began to _cry_ because I was his ‘one true love’ and I was like _we met an hour ago_.”

 

“And _Scorpius came and sat down_ , and my ever so helpful cousin _lily_ decided to ask me how come I was wearing his shirt while lying half naked down by the lake this morning. _Those exact words!”_

“And she was like ‘you never let me do anything fun!’ and I was like _Maddie I’m gay which means I don’t like boys_ , and she said ‘oh sorry, I don’t want to fight’, so we went out by the tree-you know the tree, and we were kissing, having a good time, and-

“And he said ‘please, this is my last chance to get married!’ as though that’s _my_ fault? Because he gets too easily attached?!”

 

“And by this point James had Scorpius pinned up by the neck, and Teddy punched _James_ in the face, and then _Scorpius,_ as I tried to explain I was out with _you_ guys, and Dominique was over at the other side of the bar, practically having sex with some seventh year, and Albus punched James in the face for punching Scorpius and then Al punched Teddy and Teddy was like ‘whoa I was helping’ and then molly and Victoire came back and were like _we were gone for five minutes and you guys got in a bar fight?!_ As James and Al were throwing punches, and Fred jumped in-“

“And I was having a _very_ good time, before who came up to us? Titiania! And I was like _Holy fucking Merlin’s shit, stop!_ And then Maddie? You’ll _never guess_ what she said! She said, or, she could _just join in_.”

  
“And then he began to threaten me! He said that he was going to tell everyone that we had sex-and oral does _not_ equal sex- and that he’d tell my grandmother and I’d be stuck with him! And I was like, first off, we did _not_ so calm yourself down. And second, it would be twice as easy for me to tell everyone that he was just jealous because I wouldn’t. And they’d obviously believe _me_ , because I am like the crown jewels of that pathetic little club.. not that I _want_ to be. And then I thought, hey! This could be a good thing! It could get my gran off my back!”

 

“And then Scott-you know Scott in seventh year? _He_ jumped in, and began to push everyone apart, and then _someone_ drew their wand, and Lucy was crying, and then head-boy Darcy jumped in too, and he punched Scott in the face, and they were all trying to shove Al and James and Fred apart, but the quidditch teams had begun to join in-you know gryffindors, _always_ trying to stick up for their ‘honour’, and Scorpius was hitting Al but also protecting Al from everyone else and Fred just looked confused and Louis was trying to shove everyone apart but kept getting hit yet _somehow_ stilled managed to stay cool, thank merlin, and James began to yell at Al, and Lysander came in and tried to get them to stop, and it was just a mess! Until Victoire froze the room.”

“I mean, she asks me to have a threesome-I say _no,_ and she decides to go for it anyway!”

“And he left crying, because apparently I broke his heart. Even though we had _just_ met.”

 

“And Victoire unfroze them all one by one and shoved them apart and yelled at them-and she can be _scary!_ She’s half French! Then the bartender came over and we got kicked out for it all.”

  
“And I stormed off, yelling that No means no and that she might as well go ahead and shag Titianna because I was done with her. Then Titianna began to follow _me_ crying as Maddie just stood there, staring after us.”

“So I was totally taken aback by this but was like _oh well, at least that problems solved_ , when I got an owl from my grandmother telling me she was glad it had gone great and was excited to arrange our next date, and I was like _Bitch, NO!_ , forgetting of course that the owl had an auto-response parchment on it, so that got sent _straight_ back to her-“

 

“So then we were _all_ standing out in the cold- _all_ my cousins, Scorpius, Scott, Darcy and Lysander, and James stepped up to Scorpius and was like. _You better not hurt my cousin._ Then he and Freddie turned to leave, as Molly stormed away with Victoire, before being followed by Scott _and_ Darcy, who were both still bickering and calling after her, and Teddy was making crappy jokes to Lucy and Lily who were upset, and Hugo was in a sulk because I refused to let him get involved, before Lysander turned to me and was like _Ah well, never a dull moment in the Weasley company. Can I walk you back?_ So of course I said yes, and said bye to Teddy, and Scorpius stared at me as though I’d done something wrong-“

“And Titianna said she was so, so sorry, that Maddie had left her a note to come up here,  and she wasn’t even into girls, she had a boyfriend but she figured she could just come, say no and leave, but then when she’d spotted us she’d been so shell shocked that she’d just froze, and was worried I thought she was a terrible person, so of course I was like  _no, you’re_ not a terrible person, then walked her back to Shaun, her boyfriend, who looked me up and down as Titianna sobbed, and we walked back here together in awkward silence. It was a _rollercoaster_.” Juliette shook her head, glugging her drink.

“So basically I’m waiting to hear back from my dearest grandmother to find out what my almighty punishment is.” Izzy sighed glumly, placing her head in her hands.

 

“And then just as we arrived back at the castle, Dominique came and scolded me, because _apparently_ I should have stuck up for Scorpius, and somehow stopped him from starting a riot, when the problem in the first place probably had little to do with me, and more to do with the smug look on his face all the time!” Rose wheezed exasperatedly, sinking back on her armchair in the kitchen. Izzy sighed again.

“Why can Hogsmede weekends never go by without incident?”


End file.
